Fullmetal Alchemist: Rise of Ishval
by BuggyNess
Summary: It's great to see Winry, Gran and Den while on a mission investigating a nearby town. So just what are these creatures attacking the little village of Ratzul? What's the deal with the creepy little girl who controls an army of monsters and the undead created by alchemy? Ed and Al have have to protect the ones they love, at all costs. Side story to FMA:B. EdxWin. Zombies!
1. Chapter 1: Homecoming

**Chapter 1: Homecoming**

She was one of the last children of Ishval, born during the last waning days of the unpleasantness of war. Her people were decimated but she survived, orphaned but alive. The girl couldn't remember her homeland, her parents or her family. She only knew hardship and surviving in the slums or whatever encampments the Amestrians allowed her "kind" to live. A child cannot grow into a woman of peace under such hardship and oppression.

War scarred her life and that life was just a small speck among the human masses also afflicted by such strife. However, only a handful of humans possessed what she possessed and learned to master. Call it alchemy, alchehestry or magic, it became the tool to give her might. In her mind, it also became the one and only truth and despite the power struggles of the current Amestrian regime, she yearned to make it the world's one and only truth as well.

Her forces amassed and grew ready to battle.

* * *

><p>"The papers are full of these nonsense stories lately." He folded up his Central Currier and slammed it to the table, shaking the teacups.<p>

"The people are scared and need a diversion from the current tension here in Central." Hawkeye raised one of the cups and took a sip. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if these were made up by someone in the establishment to get them talking about something other than the Fuhrer and problems here." She spoke with little emotion.

"Riza, you sound like a conspiracy theorist?" He raised one corner of his mouth devilishly partly revealing white teeth through the half-smile. "That, my friend, could land you in trouble."

"You told me to speak freely during tea."

"True."

"What are you going to do about these reports, Colonel?"

"I'm two steps ahead of you, Riza." Colonel Mustang picked up his own cup. "I've sent the Elrics to investigate."

"So, you think there is some truth to the newspapers? Do you really think someone is stealing the dead?"

"What do you think?"

"Roy," She lowered her cup and stared into Mustang's deep dark eyes. "I think Ed's gotten on your last nerve and you are getting him out of Central."

"That's harsh. He's one of my top investigators."

"Really..." She took a long sip.

* * *

><p>"Al!" A long drawn out whine swirled with the wind through the long meadow grass. "C'mon, Alllllllll!"<p>

The rolling green hills swirled as the wind whipped and whirled and a blonde mop of hair ran after a giant.

"Holy shit, brother, STOP!" Edward Elric came into view as he topped a hill. He bent over panting after running to keep up with the suit of armor that still ignored him. "Damnit! I'm sorry! Quit being a pussy and STOP!" He swore.

"Are you _really_ sorry?" The steel giant stopped. "Really?"

"Yes." _Pant. Cough_. "I'm hoarking up a lung here trying to catch up with you, of course I'm sorry."

"Ed," The seven foot tall suit of armor turned, his hollow eyes showing their unnatural glow, the glow of his soul bonded to the suit. "Tell me then,_ why_ are you sorry?"

"Does it matter?"_ pant, groan, spit_, "I'm. I'm here." He fell over, utilizing every ounce of drama his small frame could muster, his legs falling last with a thump.

"Ok, then," the armor turned back around and began walking, energized and with vigor away from the boy splayed out in the grass. "See ya."

"Al! I. Can't. Keep up!" He whined. "My legs..."

"...are too short?" Al couldn't help himself.

"...Are tired!" Ed shot up having a button pushed about his stature. He exhaled and lowered his blonde head, he'd have to suck up to the big guy or Al was going to kill him with all this cardio trying to keep up. "Ok. I'm sorry...for...for..."

"I'm listening, " Al replied slowing down.

"I apologize for dumping you at the last town." He bowed, feigning reverence. "For ditching you."

"And _why_ did you ditch me?" He was liking this.

"Because I'm a moron who wanted to sneak a drink at the pub."

"...And?"

"...with a girl." He plopped down. Ed couldn't understand Al being so upset at him for wanting to flirt with a girl. If the tables were turned, he wouldn't get his panties in a wad if some girl showed Al attention. Then again, this girl, she wasn't Winry. Not close.

The armor turned and plopped down next to the boy.

"See." He patted Ed's back with a thud, almost knocking him over. "That wasn't so hard. You know, I just want to keep you honest."

"Celibate, you mean?" Ed snarled.

"Honest, celibate, to-may-to, to-mat-to..."Al giggled. He knew his big brother would thank him when they got to Resembool. He wouldn't have made it hung over and covered in hickies. He wouldn't have wanted to make it in that shape, and incur the wrath of Winry. "We are close to the road now. Want to rest more?"

"Yeah." Ed flopped his back down in the cool grass. For a minute, he thought about taking off his left glove so he could feel the soft green carpet. He longed to toss the heavy-soled boots and wool sock and feel the same coolness between the toes on his right foot. No need to remove the glove on his right hand, or the boot on his left foot for they were unfeeling, metal and cold as well. Automail limbs couldn't feel grass, it could only squash it. Besides, It would take too much time getting that stuff back on anyway so he threw away that idea. Still, the long grass tickling his cheek was almost as nice as being barefoot. "I've taken good care of it this time, Al."

"Yes, you have. You even used the expensive oil on the joints. She'll be pleased."

"I hope so or I'll get another wrench in the brain." He chuckled and flexed his prosthetic fist. Winry. Her name reminded him of all this swirling damn wind and he realized his heart was racing and he was panting again.

"Brother, are you ok?" Al sensed the change in Ed's physiology.

"Yeah," He coughed. "Just a bit wore out after running to catch up with you." He lied and he heart rhythms returned to normal. "Ready to get to the road now?" He jumped up and dusted the grass off his black pants. Ed rearranged his long red coat as the wind whipped it around. The wind also whipped and swirled his long blonde hair, messily pulled high with a single band. "I think I can beat you there." His golden eyes twinkled and he shot off with renewed speed.

"Oh, no you don't!" Al reached up and grabbed Ed's ponytail, stopping his momentum and causing him to fall harmlessly backwards to the earth again. The younger brother quickly overcame the elder and sped off.

"You jerk!" Ed quickly got back up, rubbing his head and ran after his longer legged brother.

* * *

><p>"Granny, the Tenstu Times has a similar story on page two." The slender girl leafed through the paper amazed. "It says that the cemetery on Ratzull Hill was disturbed Monday night and every single grave was emptied, even the old crypts." She wiped the sweat from her brow, effective only smearing the grease on her hand across her forehead.<p>

"Do you think some young punks would clear out a historic graveyard for fun?"

"Winry, if those dead souls were buried with valuables, I wouldn't put it past them." The older lady smiled and took off her surgeon gloves, throwing them in the trash. "These are hard times with many desperate people..." She began washing up in the kitchen sink and discarding her paper apron which was dotted with red. "I'm releasing Mr. Frankz to his family now, I think you did a fine job installing the port for his foot. He'll be back in two weeks for the automail...you'll have it ready, won't you?" She grabbed a towel to wipe her hands.

"Pa-leese, it's halfway done now. Nothing to making a foot." Her head was covered with a dirty handkerchief and she wore grubby overalls. However, the heat of the surgery and workroom made her unbutton the top so that it fell around her waist tied in the back. A black tube top covered her bust but revealed her midsection. She took her soiled hand and scratched an itch on her belly, subsequently smearing more grease and some blood across her abdomen.

"You might want to clean up since we are done." Pinako Rockbell uttered as she walked out of the kitchen to attend to her patient and his family.

"C'mon!" Winry snapped back. "I'm gonna finish that foot, I'll just get more dirty in the shop anyway." She stretched and yawned. Winry heard her dog Den barking outside but she didn't think too much about it. It was probably Mr. Frankz's family helping him to the car. She heard Granny Pinako giving them instructions on the care of his newly installed port until the flesh around it healed enough for the insertion of the automail foot. A few car door's slammed and the roar of an engine sounded and then dwindled off in the distance. But, Den continued to bark. "Silly dog, "Winry thought and started off for her shop until she heard Granny's voice outside.

"And look what decided to pay us a visit?"

Winry's heart skipped a beat. Could it be? "Ed...Al?" She whispered to herself and then wished she had cleaned up. The last time the Eric brothers graced her home for a visit they came because Ed had trashed his automail and had to arrive with Major Armstrong for protection. "God-damn-it," she put her hands on her hips and defiantly walked towards the door, taking two strides at a time. "He's wrecked it again. Only comes around when he's mangled..." She gritted her teeth and grabbed the door handle and jerked the door inward at the same time as someone was opening it and pushing it open. This caused the person on the other side of the door to lose his balance and fall into the house. Instead of falling on the floor, he was cushioned by the ample breasts of Winry Rockbell with his chin resting comfortably in the middle, the petrified girl holding both of them up teetering back and forth like a plank on a fulcrum.

"Brother!" Al's somewhat echoing voice boomed from inside his armor.

Winry's left eye twitched and her cheeks blushed pink as she looked down. Looking up into her face and between her bosom two amber eyes starred terrified into her own blue orbs. Ed's cheeks blushed bright pink and he tried to smile and as he did, his chin dug painfully in Winry's sternum causing her to jump backwards dropping him on the floor with a loud thunk.

"Granny Pinako?" Al could hardly subdue his giggles. He turned to the tiny old woman who didn't seem affected at all by the scene in front of her, instead she puffed away on her pipe. "Is this what they call flirting?" He couldn't stop laughing.

"Something like that." Pinako cracked a microscopic grin and gave Ed a small nudge with her foot to see if he was still alive. "Get up, boy, you look like furniture there on the floor." She walked past him and into the kitchen. Ed rubbed his red chin and slowly got up.

"So! Where is it? What did you do to _MY_ automail!" Winry grabbed the red sleeve of his coat, pulling his arm to her. She pushed it back and jerked the white glove off, letting it fall to the floor. Holding on to Ed's index finger she twisted his right arm around examining what she could of the automail arm from the elbow to the fingertips. "Ok..." She squinted, not trusting what she found with the arm. "The arm _seems_ ok, but I'll have to get you out of your shirt to examine your shoulder and the port." Ed blushed. Winry dropped his arm and in a split second, she grabbed his left ankle raising it high in the air. Before he could protest, she had Ed's boot off, letting it fall to the floor and she rotated his metal foot around, holding it by his big toe. Perfect. "In my shop! Now!" She pointed in the direction of the shop angered that apparently Ed had _NOT_ broken his automail and this left her determined to_ FIND_ a blemish she could whack him over the head with a wrench for causing.

"Winry." Alphonse's soft voice shattered her anger with Edward. She dropped the eldest Elric's foot, causing him to wobble to keep from falling down again. Her eyes darted to the looming suit of ancient armor in front of her, tears welling up as she hugged him tenderly, avoiding the spikes on his shoulders.

"Al." She breathed in smelling the bland metal and heady leather of the armor and stepped back.

"How come _HE_ gets a hug and I get inspected?" Ed demanded.

"Because," Winry gently nudged Edward in his side with her elbow then began dragging Al by his huge finger toward the kitchen. "You got a much better greeting than I was prepared to give already." Ed blushed as the two walked past him into the kitchen. Winry stopped to point again in the direction of her shop. "Shop! Now!"

"Ok, Ok." His shoulders slumped in defeat and he walked toward her shop. Pinako's voice echoed in his ears.

"Dinner won't be ready for a while and there will be plenty for seconds and thirds."

Ed, smiled and took off his coat and began unzipping his shirt as he walked into Winry's workshop. God bless that old woman. It would not take long for Winry to realize his...er, _HER_ automail was in perfect working condition and then he could eat dinner.


	2. Chapter 2: Hairy Palms

**Chapter 2: Hairy Palms**

Edward folded his red coat and placed it neatly on one of the clean tables in Winry's shop. He surveyed the room, taking in the smell of oil, gears and metal. Just like he remembered. The sameness of the room comforted him. He unzipped his black jacket and set it on his coat, then he did the same for his heavy boots and black pants. Now, clad only in a black tee shirt and red boxers, Ed turned toward the chair he knew all too well, the chair he would probably have to sit in for a few hours while Winry did made magic with her automail.

"Coffee?" Her voice surprised him, making him jump.

"Ah, yeah, that'd be nice." He smiled, getting comfy in the padded chair. He took the steaming mug from her right hand as she sat beside him, her mug in her left. She took a sip. He smiled and sipped his own. "Granny's motor oil, huh?" He referred to the strong brew.

"I'm used to it." Winry smiled setting the mug on the table.

"I like it too," Ed took another sip as the girl reached for a large black case on the nearby shelf. It was heavy and Ed had to resist his urge to help her lift it. She lugged it over to them just fine, she was stronger than she looked. "that my new 'mail?" He placed his coffee on the table too.

"Ed, THIS, is what I hope, my finest work to date." Her eyes beamed as she fingered the latch to the case. "It represents my father's legacy." She bent her head down, shadowing her eyes. The memory of her deceased father and mother clearly evident. Ed wanted to place his flesh hand upon hers, but resisted. Winry quickly recovered and shot him her blue-eyed gaze, which was full of pride. She opened it revealing a shiny automail leg and arm, nestled safely in gray foam.

"Nice, Winry." Ed liked that it was shiny, but other than that, it looked just like the model he wore.

"You don't know the half of it yet." She smiled, running her ivory hand down the metal of the arm. "I'm not entirely sure it will work, I've had no one to test it on. But my dad's calculations are correct, I've been over it a million times. Granny too." She set the open case down on the floor in front of her and she got up and leaned over Ed to get to his right arm.

"Ok..." Ed suddenly felt warm as Winry's breasts brushed his chest, but she didn't notice, she was pushing his short sleeve up so she could get to the port attachment for his right arm.

"It would help if you'd turn a little," she was perturbed.

"Sorry, that better?" He turned his body toward her.

"Thanks." She found the release hidden in his shoulder port and with a quick turn and click, she had the arm off, holding it by his elbow joint. "There, out with the old," She placed the perfectly good arm down on another table. "And, in with the new." She plucked the new arm out of it's foam and raised it up to the empty shoulder socket. "Do you need anything to bite on?"

"Ah, no." Ed knew this was going to hurt. The automail limb contained a bioelectric battery. When the contact of the limb met the contact of the port, the nerves in his body and the automail's wiring met. It always hurt.

"I'm sorry, Ed. I'll be quick." She put the limb up, getting ready to shove the arm in it's new socket. "One. Two. THREE!" She shoved the arm in its new port.

"GOD DAMN! FUCK IT!" The expletives flowed from his mouth, he couldn't help it and it really did help ease the pain. He panted.

Al was chopping carrots, helping Pinako get dinner ready in the kitchen. They both heard Edward's scream. Pinako raised an eyebrow, "Edward got his new arm." She said and went about her business.

The suit of armor sighed. It hurt _him_ tremendously every time his brother went through the agony of automail insertion. However, if he could smile, he would have because Alphonse was learning a slew of new curse words from his brother whenever he was in pain.

Edward's cussing had no effect on Winry. She was used to it. He wasn't the only poor soul who shouted them in front of her after she or her Granny inserted new automail. "Ed?" She stepped back, eyeing the boy curiously. "How, how is it?"

He sat straighter in his seat and flexed the new arm. The shoulder joint rolled smoothly as he rotated the limb. He bent the elbow and liked the feel of that too. Ed clinched the fist into a ball and released it, thinking Winry was an artist. Something was strange, though and different.

"Well?" Her eyes sparkled and grew large. She was waiting.

"Winry? What, what did you do?" He couldn't understand the sensation. It had been over five years since he lost his arm and although his muscle memory and remaining nerves helped him move the limb and except for the occasional phantom limb pains, he couldn't actually feel it. At least, not until now.

"Give me your hand, Ed." She held out her own as he lowered the metal hand to her. She tenderly placed her palm in his and squeezed gently. "Well?"

Edward's eyes grew large. He could not believe what he was feeling. Her hand was warm and soft. Through the metal, gears, and wires, he was picking up the sensation of actually holding Winry's hand. He blushed. "Your, your hand..." he stammered. "I feel it."

"Granny! It worked!" She shot up and jumped up and down, raising her arms up. "Hot Damn!" She whooped and hollered in glee.

"Good job, dear" Pinako's voice carried down from the kitchen.

"How?"

"My dad figured it out," She was out of breath from jumping around. "He just didn't get to implement it before he and mom..." She sat down, a shock of sadness hitting her at the memories of her parents. "….left for Ishval." She picked up Edward's hand again. "Granny and I found his notes while cleaning up the shop. He'd hidden them pretty good." She smiled. Winry turned the metal hand over so that the palm was facing up. "See there?" She pointed to the pads of the fingers. "That's the new technology." She ran her finger across the pads of his fingers and Edward shivered at the sensation. "Each finger pad and the palm is covered in a special padded fabric. It's water proof, of course...and, it took me a year to make enough for the whole hand." She brought his hand up to eye level and reached over to the table nearest them and grabbed a large magnifying glass." See?"

Edward squinted at the large black finger pad behind the glass. Covering it were teeny tiny hairs. "Hairs?" The expression on his face changed.

"Well..."

"So you're telling me..."Ed interrupted . "You gave me _hairy_ palms!"

"And fingers!" She corrected. "Ed, you are terrible. They are not actually hairs, silly." She placed the magnifying glass back on the table. "They are fine wires. EACH one, I had to place by hand. I nearly made myself myopic inserting enough AND soldering them to the connections underneath."

"Still looks like hair."

"Get over it, how does it _feel? _Is it the same as your other hand?

"Well, no." He placed his automail hand on top of his flesh hand. "It's different, I don't know how to describe it."

"Can I run a few tests? I need to run through some different sensations with you." She grabbed her coffee.

"Sure." He was used to being Winry's guinea pig.

"Ok, close your eyes and no peaking, I want you to tell me honestly what you feel." She took his index finger and placed it above the steam of the coffee. "Describe this."

Ed scrunched his brows. "Warm...I feel warm!" She lowered the tip in the liquid, Ed jerked it out. "Hot! That's too hot!" He fought the urge to place his finger in his mouth. He realized he also just felt pain.

"Wow! That hurt you?" Winry asked. "I thought that you'd be able to touch, and feel sensations like hot or cold, but didn't realize that it would let you feel pain.

"Any way to turn that side effect off?" Ed chuckled.

"Afraid not. Keep your eyes closed!" She pulled his hand toward her face. "What does this feel like?" She leaned in and gently but quietly blew across his hand.

"Um..."Ed felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise and an electric shiver ran down his spine igniting a feeling in his lower body that he often felt around her. "Ah, that was...air?" He opened his golden eyes to meet her ocean blues.

"It works!" She hugged him tightly and shot back, resuming her celebratory jumping session. He stared at her incredulously before she calmed down and seated herself again. "Sorry...just so excited!"

"What about my leg?"

"Oh," She turned a crank and one of the leg rests on the chair moved upward, raising Ed's left leg. At the same time, the back of the chair reclined slightly. "Let's see." Winry first examined the foot, turning and moving all the toes, moving her way up to the ankle and knee joints. She removed the shin guard and fingered some of the internal parts. She took a squeeze bottle of oil and shot a few squirts here and there, then replaced the shin guard. Winry then ran both hands on each side of the knee then up the metal thigh to the line where the port met Ed's skin. She noticed Ed squirm a little, evidence of her left hand precariously on his inner thigh. The involuntary actions of his body to her touch (even though her movements were necessary to fit his limbs) made her smile. He may be her childhood friend, almost a brother, but he was definitely still a teenager AND a male. "This leg is in excellent condition." She sat back. "I can polish the metal to match the new arm, but unless you want this new one, you should be fine."

"What about the hairy things?" Edward asked as Winry turned the crank, lowering his leg and raising the back of the chair to sitting position again.

"I didn't put the sensors in the foot...not yet. I didn't figure as much as you walk, you'd want to feel the bottom of your shoe. Plus, I ran out of materials."

"Makes sense."

"I don't have to remove your leg to polish the metal, I know it hurts too."

"That would be great." He was relieved. The arm insertion was worse, it hurt like a bitch, but the leg was pretty bad too.

"How...how long are you staying this time." Her words cut with a tinge of hurt.

"Not long, Win, a few days." He knew this was a sore spot. One of the things they did that perturbed Winry, one of the _many_ things was that they never stayed long before moving on to more danger. Ed sighed. They also never called before their visits. "I, I tried to take better care of the automail this time..." He was grasping at straws.

"I know, you did a good job, Ed." She stood up and picked up her coffee.

"Al and I are on an assignment."

"For the military." She finished. "You can get dressed, I'll work on your leg after dinner, won't take long." She gave him his clothes.

"Winry, don't get pissed at me," He rotated in his chair and started putting the pants back on. "You know Colonel Bastard has me running all over Amestris these days." He stood up, pulling the black pants up, zipping them and buckling his belt as he spoke.

"I know." She walked toward the door. "You and Al are driven, have a purpose. I understand, Ed."

"Good." He picked up his coat, jacket and placed his boots on top to carry them all.

"I guess _for now_, Granny and I will always be here when you decide to come around...or when you need fixed." She walked out of the room as her words seeped into his mind.

"For now?" Ed thought Winry put emphasis when she said that.

"Dinner's ready!" Alphonse shouted from the kitchen.

Edward Elric shook his head and followed Winry out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3:  Buttons

**Chapter 3: Buttons**

Winry's hands fidgeted the fabric of her nightshirt. Down the hallway and next to Granny's door was the boy's room. She heard Ed and Al's muffled voices from inside and she smiled because they sounded like two brother's should which was happy. She heard Alphonse's voice and pretended he was not a seven foot tall suit of armor, but he was once again a boy of fifteen with dark blond with eyes a darker amber color than his older brother's. Sitting in the bed next to him, Edward would lunge forward and playfully punch Al's shoulder with his very real right arm. No automail. No armor. If the boy's were made whole, Ed could drop out of the military and they both could stay here where she could keep them safe. It was a nice dream.

"Now or never, Win." She whispered out load and slowly drug her feet down the hallway toward their room. She knew her time with them, with Edward was limited. His path in this life crossed Amestris with danger and violence. As long as he lived as a dog of the military trying to make their bodies whole again, Ed was never safe. He never promised her or anyone else in his life anything because he knew he might not be able to keep those promises. He and Al had nothing. No parents. No home. No childhood. Winry and Granny wanted to be their family and all but adopted the brother's, but the Elric boys were too driven to realize it. It used to make her cry, make her upset but as long as they kept returning she realized there was nothing she could do but be happy with the now, happy with the moments with them. She took a deep breath and knocked so softly the boys barely heard.

"Come in," Al's voice beckoned.

She turned the handled slowly and opened the door just wide enough to allow her slender frame to pass, closing it behind her. "Hey."

"Weren't you sleeping?" Edward was sitting up in his bed, wearing his blue pajamas, happy to have clothes kept at the Rockbell's but also irked that he hadn't outgrown them yet. His golden hair flowed around his shoulders, still damp from the shower he took earlier. He patted the bed, motioning her to sit next to him. She did.

"I couldn't sleep. It's gotten too warm in the house. What about you two?"

"Brother and I were just talking. Were we too loud?' Alphonse questioned.

"No." She smiled at Al. "Can I ask, what you were talking about?"

"Don't you dare, tell her Alphonse!" Ed growled.

"Brother, you're too sensitive. Winry, we were talking about what we were going to do when we get our bodies back." Edward flashed his brother a snarl and settled down.

"That sounds like a fun thing to think about." She smiled at Edward who was still scowling at this brother. "Why wouldn't you want me to know?"

"Ed's embarrassed by what he just told me."

"I am not."

"You can tell, me, Ed." Winry pleaded.

"He said that he's not sure he'll be able to sleep well when we get our bodies back." Alphonse interrupted cheerfully. "Because he's used to having me awake and watching over him as he sleeps."

"That's sort of sweet, Edward." She smiled.

"I won't be able to watch over him, because I'll be sleeping too. I can't wait to do that again. AND to eat. I want to eat LOTS of food." Al was getting carried away. He plopped back on his bed, the weight of the armor making the springs squeak.

"Maybe Edward will have someone else to watch over him then." She couldn't believe she said that out loud. She and Ed both blushed and Alphonse chuckled. "Er, I mean, you know...when you're OLD..."

"I know what you mean." Alphonse whispered.

"Al, is it ok if I steal your brother away for a bit?" She played with her hands. "I, I need to speak with him about something." She stood up. "Ed, can I talk to you, in my room?"

"Winry, you can say it in front of Al..." Edward protested.

"It's ok, Brother, I have this book...yeah, this book I want to read. I can't do that when you are snoring." Alphonse prodded. "Go on, I'll be here...awake...like always...thinking about eating something like, maybe apples...pears...mmmmmmm, beef stew." Winry grabbed Ed's automail arm and drug him with her toward the door as Al droned on about food. "Chocolate cake and cookies with milk..." Edward and Winry were out the door.

"Shhhh," she raised her finger to her lips as they walked toward her room. Edward gulped. Pinako would brain him should she find him in her granddaughter's room at one o'clock in the morning. Winry closed the door behind them and much to Ed's surprise, she locked it.

"What's going on, Winry?"

"Edward. I feel like time is slipping away from me, from us." She sat on her bed. "I don't want to grow up in this world with regrets, with thoughts of letting something pass me by." She looked down.

"Why do you say that?" Ed ran to her side, worried. "Are, are you sick or something?" This elicited a chuckle from the blonde girl.

"No, you moron." She grabbed him by his arms. "It's you!"

"I'm not sick."

"Ack! It's like I'm talking to Den." She met his eyes, he clearly did not have a clue where she was going with this. "You and Al are always fighting, always on some mission. You have something more important to do in this life than stay in Resembool with me and Granny." She sighed. "You've told me more than once, you can't promise me anything, you just don't know if you will return. I've seen you beaten up and hurt almost as bad as that day Al showed up here with you bloodied and half dead in his arms pleading for us to save you. It scared the hell out of me that I know you put yourselves in danger trying to make yourselves whole again. I know that is more important to you, than, than... me."

"Win, what are you saying?"

"Ed," she leaned closer, "I think we should, um...just...get it over with."

"Get...what...over...?" His words were cut off by her lips, gently covering his mouth.

Edward had kissed a few girls in his travels. Well, a few girls kissed him. Those few encounters were nothing compared to this kiss. Winry's warm breath hit his face as her soft lips caressed his own. Overcoming the initial shock, he quickly met her embrace, wrapping his arms around her small frame and enjoying the new sensation of feeling in his new right hand. She tasted sweet, like the summer and she smelled warm like clean laundry. He felt her warm hands move from his back to the buttons of his pajama shirt.

"Woah, Win?" He stopped and held her hands in his, on his chest.

"What?" She took his mouth again and more passionately than before, tried to resume her work on his buttons. At first he succumbed to her desire, he was a boy after all, a teenage boy at that. He had fantasized about this, hell, thinking about Winry got him through some really tough spots on his missions. For some reason, and despite all the electrified nerves in his body igniting his own desire he just couldn't let himself go where she obviously wanted. He pulled away and held her hands again. "What's the matter, Edward?" She sat back.

"Winry..."

"You, you, don't want to?" Her blue eyes started to become glassy. "You don't want to...with me..." She pulled her hands to her lap.

"Oh, Win," He tried to hold her close to him, but she recoiled. "There is no one in this whole world I'd want to be with but you."

"Then, what's the problem?" The look in her eyes changed from sadness to anger. "I'm a girl, aren't I?"

"Oh, yes, thank God you are female." Ed chuckle.

"And, you are a boy and we like each other...AND you could die out there, then why is it a problem?"

"I, I don't know. Just not right." He scratched the back of his head. "I don't want you to regret anything, Winry. Especially if I don't, if Al and I don't come back next time."

"That's the whole point! I don't want to see you go and think, wow what could have been."

She had a good point.

"Winry," he leaned in and placed his forehead to hers. "I just don't want things to be weird between us, I'll always have to be a part of your life as long as you work on my limbs."

"Never, it never will be weird, well, never weirder than normal." She smiled. "Besides, I've read up on this. It's basic mechanics, you know..." She grabbed his collar pulling him back on her bed as she pulled the covers over. He willingly followed her lead this time, situating himself under the covers next to her and folding the warm blankets over both of them. They now rested warmly in each other's arms, face to face.

"As long as you know what you're doing." He smiled and wrapped brought his automail hand, new with sensation, to caress her cheek and he leaned in for another kiss. Edward decided to worry about it some other time. He decided not to think about the insurmountable task to get his brother's body back and hopefully his limbs too. He decided that for a brief moment, he would not carry the guilt and burdons of the world on his young shoulders. He decided that right now, the only thing he would concentrate on was Winry.

"I don't know about that..." She met his lips fervently and began working on his buttons again.


	4. Chapter 4:  Bite

**Chapter 4: Bite **

Edward squinted his eyes as a perfect beam of sunlight struck him right in the face. He pulled the covers up over his head and tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn't going to happen. He groaned and decided to get up. He sat up and stretched and rubbed his eyes with his flesh hand. He was not in his own room with Al. And, he was alone.

"Uh, oh." He remembered last night and it excited him for a split second before terror set in. He found his pajamas, got dresses and poked his head outside the door to Winry's bedroom. No one was there. He crept back to his room knowing that there was no way he could sneak past his brother. "Al?" A great looming shape sat up from a chair by the windows.

"You are in trouble, Edward." He said solemnly. "If you don't tell me EVERYTHING!" Alphonse's eyes turned into large pink hearts and he got up and ran over to Ed.

"Al..."

"You were there ALL night, brother, I may be younger, but I'm not stupid." He almost giggled.

"Did you kiss her?"

"Well, yeah..."

"And?"

"C'mon, Al, that's sort of private."

"Did you?"

"….yes." Ed knew he couldn't lie to his brother.

"Edward!"

"Please, Al, don't, don't be mad..."

"I'm not MAD! I'm excited for you!" the suite of armor grabbed his brother in an enormous bear hug and squeezed. "I'm happy for you. Ed, you're a MAN!"

"Al, please, you're squishing me!"

"Sorry." He released his brother.

"Don't you say one thing to Winry. She promised it wouldn't be weird between us." Edward slipped off his pajama bottoms and pulled on his black leather pants, black shirt and he lugged on his heavy soled boots. "I don't want to freak her out or anything." He couldn't find a brush so ran his fingers through his hair and platted it into a messy braid. "C'mon, I'm hungry...and we need to get over to Ratzull today and get a report to the Colonel."

"I'll try not to say anything, Brother." The boys left their room.

Pinako scurried in the kitchen, making oatmeal, bacon and eggs. She raised an eyebrow as the boys sauntered in.

"Do you need any help, Granny?" Al loved being helpful.

"No, dear, but I think Den wants to play ball, can you handle that so I can have a chat with your brother." She placed a mug of coffee down in front of Ed.

"I can do that...good luck, Ed." He grabbed Den's bouncy ball and practically ran out of the house, the black dog with the automail leg followed.

"Great." Ed muttered, his eyes practically hit the table, he knew he had been caught.

"Edward." Pinako sat down with her own coffee.

"Nice day, huh, Granny?" He hoped to change the subject, but it wasn't working.

"Not in MY house, Edward."

"What?"

"I would be a terrible guardian to both you and Winry if I condoned that in my house." She said this matter-of-factly. "That said, I was your age once..."

"...back when dinosaurs roamed the earth..." Ed muttered under this breath only to be whacked on the head with a small frying pan that Pinako had hidden in her left hand. "Owie."

"...and I know how it feels to be in love, or think you are in love." She placed the frying pan down and pulled a small package out of her pocket and placed it in front of Edward." Here."

"What?" Ed picked up the package and read the label. "Condoms?" He felt like he was going to throw up.

"I had the same talk with Winry very early this morning. She tried to sneak out of her room. Really, all this sneaking around, but you all are as loud as elephants. I barely got any sleep at all."

"I'm going to be sick." Ed moaned holding his stomach. "Where is Winry?"

"She said the same thing but went down to her shop to work. I'd like you to take her breakfast down to her...and keep the door open!" She brought over a tray of food.

"I can do that." Ed grabbed some buttered toast and shoved it in his mouth, he was grateful to get out of the kitchen and the embarrassment of the old woman KNOWING what went on last night. Pinako chuckled as he ran out of the room. Edward made it to the shop door and turned the handle. It was locked. "Hey Winry!" He positioned the tray in his left hand and knocked on the door with his metal one. "I, I, have some food for you, open up." He turned so his back was against the door and he placed his ear to the wood.

"I'm just SO busy, Edward, come back later, OK?" The door muffled her voice but didn't hide the strange pitch and timbre that was very un-Winry. Winry wasn't working. She had been in the shop thinking for hours before Edward got up. She tippy-toed to the door and placed her head on the wood on the direct opposite side that Ed rested his.

"Are you sure?" Ed exhaled. He really wanted to see her face and figure out if everything between them was alright. She sure was acting weird, even though she promised no weirdness. He got no answer from the door. "Win, Al and I are headed to Ratzull and we'll be back for dinner. Still, no sound from the shop. Ed's shoulder's dropped and he set the tray down. "Food's here, when your ready." He placed his new hand on the door, feeling the new sensation of the hard wood on his fingertips.

"EDWARD!" Al's voice boomed through the house. "PINAKO!"

Winry had her hand on the door as soon as she heard the terror in Al's voice. "What's wrong?"

"C'mon!" Edward grabbed her hand with his automail one and pulled her toward the sound of his brother. His desire to see Winry quickly changed to concern for his brother.

"Oh, my god." Winry's knees felt wobbly. The scene before her so similar to one of many years ago, one of a large suite of armor, desperately cradling a bleeding Edward and begging for her and her grandmother to save him. Only this time, Alphonse was carrying a smaller boy and mercifully, he was not bleeding, but obviously he was hurt.

"He, he just stumbled into the yard when Den and I were playing." Al held the boy toward Pinako who examined him.

"Fever, and he's exhausted." She motioned to Alphonse to carry the boy to the sofa in the other room. "Winry, gets some water, he's probably dehydrated too."

"Yes, Granny." Winry obediently ran to the kitchen and poured a large glass of water.

"Who is he?" Edward asked.

"I don't know, Brother," Al gently placed the child on the sofa and Pinako continued her exam.

"He's been bitten, here..." She pointed to a menacing bite on his left forearm, distinct upper and bottom teeth marks unmistakably human. "But, that's minor. It looks like he's been running all night.

"Here sweety, drink." Winry gently raised the boy's head and held the cool glass of water to his parched lips. He grabbed the glass and downed all of it.

"More!" He gasped. "Please?"

"Sure." She ran off to get it.

"What's your name, kid?" Edward asked. "Where did you come from?"

"My name? It's Tate." He eyed Winry running back with the water and he grabbed the glass, drinking more slowly this time. "I live...I live in Ratzull village, just south of here."

"Brother, that's where we were to investigate today."

"Yeah, about twenty miles...you must have been traveling all night to get here this morning."

"Did I make it to Risembool?

"You did." Pinako placed her hand on his shoulder. "Tell, us why you ran all the way here during the night. I bet your parent's are worried."

"No! I can't go back! You can't make me go back!" His demeanor changed from calm to hysterical in a second. He began thrashing and waving his arms, the water glass flying into the air and smashing on the floor.

"It's ok, honey, you can stay here," Pinako picked up the boy, who instantly calmed down but kept crying. "Let's get you something for your fever and let you rest, you can tell us everything later, Tate. Alright?" she handed the boy to Winry and he clung to her tightly. "Let's put him in Alphonse's bed and get him comfortable. Edward, get the constable's office on the phone and let him know." She followed Winry upstairs with Tate. Edward and Al ran to the phone and dialed for the operator.

"Constable, please." Edward instructed the operator who told them they would be connected. The line just rang and rang, no answer. "Damn it." Ed slammed the receiver and picked it up again, dialing zero for the operator, the rotary dial humming as it whirled around. "Operator, I can't get through to the constable, try again." She connected him again and the same response. "Al, no one's picking up."

"Maybe they are just away from the phone...like the bathroom?"

"Maybe..." His attention turned toward Winry, coming down the stairs.

"Is he going to be ok?" Alphonse asked.

"Yeah, Granny is trying to get him to sleep, he's so tired. He said he's six years old. Ed?"

"Yes?"

"Something terrible happened in his village. He's mortified over it. Maybe some sleep and he can tell us. What did the constable say?"

"No one picked up the phone."

"That's strange, but we can try again."

"Right." answered Al.

"Winry, we are supposed to be going to his village today. We'll investigate and try to find his parents. They can't be hard to locate, they're probably frantic for Tate by now." Edward put on his red coat. "It will take us three hours to walk there...do you know where we could borrow a car?" He grinned.

"I don't feel right about this, Ed. Something's wrong there, are you sure you have to go?"

"That's our assignment. Don't worry, the kid probably just ran away from home or something. Beside, we're supposed to investigate some old cemetery there, nothing in a boneyard can hurt us." His eyes squinted. "Now about that car..."

* * *

><p>"Now, you know how to drive this, don't you?" Winry stood outside the old convertible roadster as Edward lovingly ran his hands around the steering wheel.<p>

"Sure, nothing to it." He smiled.

"It's the Newmeyer's, and they only said Granny could borrow it to go to town while they were in East city this summer, so you better take care of it!" She scowled at him.

"Brother and I will take care of it, Win." Al reassured her but deep down, he was worried. Edward had only driven a handful of times and never very well.

"Don't worry, we'll be in and out and back for dinner. Just one thing."

"What?"

"Stay inside and keep the doors locked...and try to get the constable on the phone again before we get back." He looked up at her and grabbed her shoulder pulling her to him so he could kiss her lips quickly. "Stay safe, Win." He smiled. Both their cheeks blushed bright pink. Winry couldn't respond but she backed away and waved at the boys as Ed put the car, or tried to put the car in gear and they sped off.

* * *

><p>The road to Ratzull was bumpy. The fact that Edward had only driven a car a handful of times and on paved roads in Central didn't help. Ed's mind wandered when he should have paid attention to the ruts and pot holes on the country road they traveled. He thought of Winry and worried how the hell he was going to iron their relationship out in the midst of restoring his and Al's bodies. She told him it would not be strange, but he knew enough about females to know that sometimes they assured you one thing but expected you to know another.<p>

"Watch out!" Al screamed and held on to his helmet as Ed steered them into a monster of a chuck hole in the road.

"Sorry, Al. We're almost there. I told you this was better than hoofing it here."

"Not by much." Alphonse still held on to his head. "We're just saving time, but I think I'm losing parts."

"Ah, you're just being a baby." He turned the wheel drastically to avoid a crater in the road and after over correcting the turn, sent the vehicle careening into the grassy field. Both brother's screamed in terror as the roadster went airborne. Ed summoned just enough presence of mind to clap both hands together in a mid-air alchemic reaction transmuting the air, dust and grass below them into a haystack cushioning their fall.

"Ed..." Al sat up, his hollow body stuffed with hay. Hay filled the car. Hay still slowly fell all around them.

"Relax. We're here anyway." Ed opened the door and stumbled down the mound of hay. "It looks like the car is fine. Let's go!"

Alphonse pulled clumps of hay out of his armor as he quickly caught up to his smaller big brother, Ed. The village in front of them was small and quaint like their own. They walked slowly through the town square to the fountain in the center. The water flowed gently on this warm day, the sound of it almost hiding one sinister fact. The village was deserted. It was late morning and the town should be swarming with people buying and selling and visiting tradesmen. The only movement now was that of the water flowing in the fountain and the whipping of Ed's coat and hair in the wind.

"Where are all the people?" Ed whispered loud enough for Al to hear him. He surveyed the buildings: the butcher shop; the pub; the barber; the schoolhouse-all seemingly empty.

"Perhaps we should start with the official's office, the police?" Al motioned to a building with a sign that read "Constable."

"Good idea, Brother." Al joined him as they walked toward the building.

Edward turned the knob to the door and slowly opened and entered. The interior was dark, the only light coming in from the windows and the bright daylight from outside. It was a small town police station consisting of two jail cells in the back and some administrative desks in the main room, and the Constable's office to the left. The room, including the jail cells were empty. The boys headed toward the office.

"Even if the Constable is out, there is always someone in the office..." Ed's words were cut off by the blast of a shotgun. It was a poorly aimed shot, hitting the desk to the boy's right and creating a large crater. "Take cover!" Ed yelled as he and Al leapt behind other desks.

"The shot came from the main office." Al said quietly as he hunkered low. He may be made of metal but he didn't want the buckshot to dent him up if he could help it.

"I'll flush'em out." A mischievous grin spread across the elder Elric's face. He clapped his hands together causing blue alchemic sparks, then slammed both down on the ground. The flooring rumbled and a line of disturbance ran from the boy's hands toward the office. A louder rumble roared from the room as the reaction Edward caused made the far wall of the office push forward along with all the furniture and the lone occupant. A dark figure was forced to exit the door or be crushed. He had no where to run. "Stop!" Edward stood, ready to dodge another blast. He was joined by his brother. "Are you the Constable?" The figure slowly lowered his weapon and spoke.

"You living?"

"'Course we are!" Edward pulled out his silver pocket watch. "I'm Edward Elric, State Alchemist. Who are you and why did you try to kill us?"

"Praise Lito." The man came into the light. He was a law officer, his ragged uniform gave that away. He looked exhausted and wounded, having a large gash on his left forearm, a gash that also resembled a bite. "I'm officer Daves...I think I'm the only one left...when is Central sending backup?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Daves, Brother and I were only sent to investigate the looting of the cemetery on the hill."

"The cemetery?" Daves snickered. This turned into a boisterous fit of laughter that almost choked him. "The god damn cemetery is probably the safest place in this town." He found a chair and painfully lowered his tired body. "We need guns, not alchemists." He put his hands over his eyes in despair.

"Officer, get me a phone and I'll get the help we need." Edward scanned the room and saw a telephone. This elicited another fit of laughter from Daves.

"Sure, call 'em up. I don't know why I didn't think about that."

Edward picked up the receiver and held it to his ear. It was dead.

"Lines are down, cut, gone." Daves laughter was almost insane. "You got any more ideas STATE ALCHEMIST?"

"Al, Daves. come on. Let's get out of here." Ed motioned toward the door. "I've seen all I need to see. Mr. Daves, you can brief us on the way back to Risembool."

"You don't have to ask me twice." Daves stood up to join the brothers and as he did, pain shot through his body. He clutched his sides and shrieked.

"Daves?" Edward placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Stay away!" He jerked it off and immediately fell to the floor writhing in pain. "The bite! It bit me. It was the bite!" He starred at gash on his flesh then raised his hands to his hair and pulled. "The bite!" He convulsed on the floor.

"Ed, what can we do?"

"It's alchemy. Look!" Ed pointed toward the man's head. There was a tiny blue spark and sizzle of flesh as the faint outline of a small transmutation circle etched itself into the center of Daves' forehead. On cue, Daves' face turned toward the boys.'

"If you bastards want to live, you will take this gun and blow my fucking head off!" Foam and spit flew from his razor sharp teeth as he screamed those words, the last words he would utter as a human. The boy's watched in horror as his grin enlarged and his features grew more angular. His brown eyes glazed over, the pupils blew and irises turned gray. His muscles stretched and grew as did his height. His fingers flexed and long talon-like claws replaced his fingernails. No longer capable of human speech, Daves growled and then lunged at them.

"Distract him, Al!" Edward leapt out of the way, as Daves slashed the air with his claws.

"C'mere big ugly!" Alphonse taunted him, distracting him long enough for Edward to reach the shotgun, long discarded. Daves turned his attention to Al, and grabbed his arm. He opened his now gaping maw and brought it down on Al's hand.

"Bite." Edward committed the scene to memory. "Stay away from him you Bastard!"

Daves', disgusted that his teeth struck leather and metal instead of flesh, now turned toward Edward. Alphonse was now considered non-edible and nothing the boy could do would sway the monster's attention from his brother. Edward was ready, he had the shotgun, raised it and fell backward. He gulped and pulled the trigger just as the monster reached him. Officer Daves got his wish for the boy's shot had cleanly blown his head off. Edward gasped in terror as the headless carcass of the once-human fell in front of him.

"Al...I think we should leave. Now!"


	5. Chapter 5:  Alone

**Chapter 5: Alone **

Winry walked down the hall to the boy's room and slowly peeked inside. She had pulled the blinds and curtains so that Tate could rest so the room was dark, only illuminated by the cracks of sunlight emanating from the uncovered portions of the windows and the door she just opened. The boy was still in the bed and sleeping. She decided to go back downstairs and spend the rest of the morning working in her shop. Today was laundry day so Granny would be hanging up the wash to dry. She decided to ask her if she could check back on Tate when she came back in the house. She came downstairs quickly and poked her head out the kitchen window.

"Granny?"

"Yes, dear?" Pinako peered from behind a white sheet hanging on the line.

"I'm going to work in the shop, can you check on Tate in a while? He's sleeping still."

"'Course, Winry." She went back to her laundry.

Winry passed the telephone on her way and decided to try the constable's office again. She lifted the receiver and dialed for the operator and was connected to the police station.

"Constable." She finally got a voice on the other line.

"Hello, this is Winry Rockbell, we found a lost boy on our property..."

"Winry, I'm sorry to cut you off. We've got reports of assaults and crimes coming in from all over and my officers are swamped, is the boy hurt or did he hurt you?"

"Ah, no, we just think he might have run away from Ratzul..."

"As soon as we have a spare man, I'll send someone down there, can you take care of him until then?"

"We can, I'm sure that's not a problem..."

"Please, we've asked for assistance from Central City, if you can just wait, we'll get someone down there as soon as we can. Please stay on your property, preferably in your house and lock your doors."

"Constable! What on earth is going on? Should I be afraid?"

"No reports from your area, Winry, but if you can leave Resembool, you might want to until this mess dies down." Click. The line went dead.

"Granny!" Winry ran back to the window. "Forget the wash, I need to talk to you!"

"What is going on?" Pinako lumbered back inside, a heavy laundry basket on her hip. Winry recounted what the Constable told her.

"Can Tate travel?"

"Not until his fever breaks."

"Gran, what about you? Can you take Den to Rush Valley for a while?" Winry was getting scared. "I can stay with Tate until they send an officer or Ed and Al return, then I can join you."

"Winry, I cant leave you alone."

"I'll be fine. It's probably nothing."

"I'm not leaving."

"Alright then. Let's pack up and get ready. I'll get Den inside. We'll just wait for the boys. At least I'll feel safer with them here." She ran outside and called Den. Her black dog scampered up the stairs and inside as fast as her automail leg would carry her. "Good dog." Winry praised and locked the door behind her. "Granny, I'm getting some stuff from the shop, be right back."

"I'll get some food from the cellar." Pinako went one direction with Den following her at the mention of 'food' and Winry went another.

All this commotion stirred the consciousness of the small boy sleeping upstairs. Fully awake, he sat up and got out of bed. Despite the things that he saw in Ratzul, the dark room no longer frightened him. He slowly shuffled toward the door, which was already cracked open and he exited into the hallway. Slowly, ever so slowly, he inched his way down the hall, down the stairs and he heard a voice.

"Granny! You don't have to worry about protection! I've got it right here!" Winry shouted from her shop. She found the shotgun Ulrey, her father had bought for Pinako when he and her mother had left for Ishval so many years earlier. She loaded two shells and snapped the gun loaded.

Tate instinctively moved toward the girl's voice. His stomach growled. Something primal inside him told him he'd find food soon. The door to the shop was open so he entered. Quietly he cam upon Winry, her back to him. His muscles flexed, popping the elastic bands to his sleeves and he lunged. Winry was startled and turned to see a small creature flying toward her. She ducked out of the way as the boy hit the shelving where she once stood, causing wood shrapnel and books to fly.

"Tate?" she couldn't believe the sight before her. Although still childlike in stature, this creature was no longer the same child who clung to her in fear as she carried him upstairs that morning. What was before her now, was a drooling gray beast, with glazed over dead eyes and sharp teeth in Tate's clothes. He snarled and pounced again. Winry had seconds to react, her instinct she was in danger caused her to raise the shotgun and fire. The blast boomed throughout the Rockbell house and Den started barking. Although her instincts were sharp, her aim was off. She grazed the animal. He looked up at her with a primal face telling her without words he meant to kill her. Winry noticed the tiny transmutation circle etched on his forehead as he jumped on her again. She didn't have time to raise the shotgun before Tate was on her biting the closest part of her to him, her hand. Razor sharp teeth sank into her flesh but before she could utter a scream, she heard a loud whirling sound and a sickening crack. She looked up to see that the monster was without a head. When it's body fell away from her, she saw her grandmother standing defiantly, holding a shovel.

"Winry? Are you ok?" Pinako dropped the shovel and rushed to her granddaughter who was nursing her wounded hand.

"I think so...he got my hand's all." She showed the wound to Granny, who began riffling through items on the shop table, finding a first aid kit and opening it.

"Was that Tate?" Gran took out antiseptic and rinsed the wound.

"Yes..." Winry winced as the liquid it the punctures on her hand. She still couldn't believe this monster was the same boy.

"I think we should get ready to leave." She wrapped the affected hand lovingly with a sterile bandage. "I'll cover him up. Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yeah, I am. Just feeling cold, a bit freaked out." She untied the top part of her coveralls which was tied around her waist, put on her work gloves and she put her arms back into the sleeves.

"You saved my life, Gran." She hugged the small woman.

* * *

><p>"C'mon, Al!" Edward yelled at his younger brother as they both ran back to the car. Something caught Al's attention, causing him to fall behind.<p>

"Ed, there's something going on at the church, look!" He motioned toward the large round building, where Ratzul worshipped Leto. The door was opened, he was sure it was shut before.

"I don't care, we have enough to get Mustang down here."

The church bell rang calling the inhabitants to worship.

"Brother, what time is it?" Al stopped running.

"Alphonse!" Ed stopped.

"What time is it?"

Edward pulled his silver pocket watch out and flipped the case. "Twenty past eleven, let's go!"

"Ed, they don't have church service at eleven twenty in the morning on Thursday. We have to see what is going on at the church." He turned and started off toward the building.

"Al!" Edward whined but followed his younger brother. They came to the open door and with each brother on a side, peered into the sanctuary. Inside, the church was filled to capacity with the remaining inhabitants of Ratzul all of them dead. Most all the people inside the church were the hulking gray creatures Daves had become. However, much to the brother's horror, some of the figures inside, were indeed walking corpses, evidently the stolen residents of the local cemetery. A young girl, about twelve years old stood in the pulpit. Her features were pixi-like and petite with long blond hair flowing but strangely dull and limp around her shoulders. A small movement from the open doorway caught her quick, gray eyes and she spoke to the creatures before her.

"We have the alchemists, bring them."

"Al...this is not good!" Edward's eyes grew large as the congregation of dead all turned their heads at once to gaze at the brothers. Every one of them carried the small transmutation circle upon their forehead. They all ran toward the door. The Elric brothers had already started sprinting ahead of them.

"C'mon, Ed, you are too slow!" Alphonse ran past his brother, picking him up and football carrying him along toward the roaster. The former townspeople were gaining.

"Shit!" Edward cursed. He realized the car was still sitting about five feet up on a haystack. Before he could protest, Alphonse hurled him up and into the front seat.

"Start the car Ed!" Alphonse shrieked as Ed's fingers fumbled with the ignition and started the car. Al took a running leap and hit the rear of the car with all his might just as Edward knocked it in gear. The car thrust forward, clearing the haystack and landing with a thud just as the creatures reached Al, grabbing him and crowding around him, pulling him down.

"Alphonse!" Edward stopped the car and clasped his hands together and then on the hard earth. A line of demarcation shot along the ground and toward the undulating mass of monsters that completely covered Al. Suddenly, great monoliths of stone shot upward throwing the creatures and the dead and giving Alphonse a break to run free. Edward got back into the car and put it back into gear. Al jumped in and they sped away, the things running after.

* * *

><p>"Boy, the train station is packed!" Winry sighed as Pinako purchased the tickets to Rush Valley.<p>

"It seems everyone is leaving for the same reason, fear." she handed a ticket to Winry. "It was good fortune, they allowed Den to ride in the car with us since we didn't have a carrier for the luggage car." She patted the dog.

"Gran, I don't want to leave the boys." They got in the line of people boarding the train.

"I know. But you called that Mustang fellow and he said he wanted them to stay put until the military arrived...they are coming." She sighed. "Edward is an officer as well as an alchemist, he will be expected to fight with his fellow soldiers."

"I don't like it." Winry slowly followed her grandmother and Den onto the train.

"Neither do I."

The trio found their way to a small private car and sat down. Winry's head lowered and she clinched her fists tightly. She mulled over and over what she wanted to do. As the train started moving, she made her decision. Before Pinako could stop her or protest, the blond shot up and ran out the door.

"Winry!"

"I'm sorry, Gran! I can't leave them!" Den barked as the girl ran down the length of the train looking for escape. She felt the momentum of the train and worried there was no way but she caught sight of a porter getting ready to shut an open door. "Move!" She yelled and pushed him aside. She leapt from the moving train, barely making the platform.

"Winry! You are in trouble, young lady!" Pinako yelled, her head poking out of a window as the train gained speed.

"Don't worry! I'll meet up with you in Rush Valley!" She held her hands to her mouth as she yelled. Winry Rockbell then decided to walk back home and wait.

* * *

><p>"Winry! Pinako!" Edward frantically tore through the Rockbell house. The whole bumpy ride back to Resembool, he thought about Tate and remembered Pinako describing the bite he had when Al carried him inside.<p>

"No one's here, Ed. They must have taken Den to the train station..." Edward's voice cut Al off.

"Alphonse!" The elder Elric shouted from Winry's shop. He found Tate's body, covered with a quilt.

"Tate." Al whispered and surveyed the damage. Wood and books scattered the room. Next to where Winry usually sat working was the shotgun, one shell expended. Across from the body lay a bloody shovel. "He, he must have turned and attacked them and they, they had to..."

"Yeah, means they are probably ok." Edward's eyes narrowed. "I need to make a phone call." He left the room and picked up the phone.

"Mustang! You freak! What did you send us into!" Edward screamed into the telephone. The voice on the line was calm.

"Fullmetal. The intelligence we had did not indicate any form of chimera's or "monsters." That has changed. There is a military transport train arriving in Resembool this afternoon and they are going to Ratzul. Stay at the Rockbell property and rendezvous with them."

"Bastard." Edward hung up on him, stuck his hands in his pockets and walked over to Alphonse who was holding a note.

"Ed, Granny and Win are fine, they are going to Rush Valley with Den." Al handed the note to his brother.

"What a relief. We just need to hang out and wait...and hope the military gets here before those things do."

"...what things?" Her voice came from behind. The boys spun around to the wide-eyed face of Winry Rockbell.

* * *

><p>"Winry! Why didn't you stay on the god-damned train! I can't protect you and fight these things at the same time!" Edward slammed the roadster's door shut and stormed off toward the barn. The trio long deciding to hold up there and wait.<p>

"Maybe you're the one needing protecting, ever think about that dip wad!" Winry shot back and crossed her arms defiantly. Alphonse did his best to shrink into this seat, the best a seven foot tall suite of armor could muster.

"You'll have to hide in here until the military arrives." Ed angrily threw open the barn door and ran back to the car, jumping over the closed door and into the seat. "Stupid gear head." He muttered under his breath and stepped on the gas, sending the car quickly into the barn, then stopping with a lurch, almost sending the occupants flying.

"What did you call me?" Winry demanded.

"You heard me." Edward hissed and got out of the car. he went back to the barn door and closed it. "Al, start shoring up the openings!"

"You bet!" al exited his side of th car and ran as fast as he could to the far door.

"I bet you won't say that to my face, shrimp boy."

"Give me just a second and I'll do just that! And I'm not short!" He turned his back to her and clasped his hands together creating his own transmutation circle. He slammed them upon the ground in front of the barn door and caused and alchemic reaction coalescing the sawdust, dirt, gravel, hay and wood particles into a solid stone door. They were shut tight. Alphonse was doing the same with the far barn door and then moving on to the windows and any holes. Ed strolled confidently over to Winry and poked her slowly in the shoulder with his metal index finger emphasizing each syllable as he spoke, "GEAR...HEAD." He stood back, crossed his arms and smiled.

"Winry, he's just egging you on, don't..." Al joined the pair, having finished closing of all openings.

The mechanic's blue eyes boiled with anger. She threw her gloves aside and pushed up the long, dangling sleeves of her coveralls and socked Ed with a fierce left hook, sending his head flying backwards.

"You ARE short!" She followed through with a right punch just as he recovered from the first. "You have rotten breath!" She kept pummeling his face. As she did, Ed got a good view of her bandaged right hand, it had been covered by her sleeves.

"Winry! What happened!" He caught her right arm.

"Tate bit me, you bastard!" She jerked her arm from him, tears streaming from her eyes now. She then continued her assault on his face. "Right before he died!"

Edward took a lot of punches from a lot of different people in his young life. Large people. Small people. Human. Homunculus. Even though Winry was powerful and she was doing a pretty good job damaging his face, her punches felt like gnat bites as he mulled what she just said around in his head. "…._bit me. Bite_." She was infected with whatever god-forsaken alchemy Daves, Tate, and the whole village of Ratzul had been infected. He knew she didn't have much time left before she would turn, maybe twelve hours. Edward was a genius, he knew how to save her but he didn't know if he had it in him to do just what must be done. He took his hits as she poured obscenities his way. His blood splattered as she pounded his face over and over. He didn't care, he deserved it. He loved her. He had to save her. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to explain.

"….and YOU are rotten in BED!" This was the last hit as Winry's arms grew tired and her knuckles ached from coming in contact with Ed's skull. She stopped for a minute as he was not reacting at all. She expected him to fight back in some way, most likely with words. But, he just stood there. She didn't see his metal fist coming until it was too late. She took the hit on her left cheek hard. the single hit, amplified by the automail knocked her out cold.

"Edward! How could you!" Alphonse couldn't believe what he saw. He grew angry. So angry it clouded his mind with emotion.

"I'm sorry..." While Winry was in mid-air, Ed transmuted his favorite spear from the ground. His eyes filled with tears as he quickly brought the blade down, amputating her infected hand just above the wrist. Her body fell limply and the limb soon followed.

"Ahhhhhh!" Alphonse tackled his brother and the two fell to the ground with the younger on top of the elder. "You jerk! How could you!" he started hitting Ed.

"Al." Edward uttered meekly. Al's punches did not feel like gnats at all. His fists felt like sledge hammers.

"I hate you!"

"Al." Edward felt his cheekbone shatter with the last hit. He relished the pain, his penance for for hitting Winry and taking her hand. However, it was becoming harder and harder to stay conscious. He mustered all of his remaining strength to catch Alphonse's right hand and hold it.

"Al. She's going to bleed to death...hurry..." He motioned to Al to tear his coat for bandages.

"Brother?" Alphonse stopped his assault as Ed's reasoning became clear. He ripped several red bandages from Ed's coat, ran over to Winry and applied pressure to her arm, wrapping the bandages tightly and tucking the arm up inside the crook of her other arm to apply pressure. He gingerly picked up the hand, he wasn't sure why, but he tucked it away into his breastplate and lovingly carried Winry to Ed's side. "She was infected, wasn't' she." Al wished he could cry. He needed to cry so badly it hurt. He was a soul affixed to a suit of armor-cruel fate kept him from shedding the tears he so desperately needed to shed. He knelt down by his battered brother.

"Yes." Edward coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood onto the ground. "I hope we stopped it from spreading." He was not going to be able to stay awake.

"Brother?" Al was getting worried. He held onto Winry to his left and Edward to his right.

"Please stay awake. I don't want to be alone!"

"Can't." Was all Ed could say before drifting off to concussion land, his head falling down.

"Edward! Winry!" Alphonse held them both tightly. He heard screams and growls from outside the barn. He knew the barricades wouldn't last long enough for the military to save them. He was alone.


	6. Chapter 6: Emerald Eyes

**CHAPTER 6: EMERALD EYES **

"You can't believe how amazing it will be, Al." The sweet feminine voice startled him to consciousness. "You'll live forever, your alchemy will cause Amestris, no, the world to shake at your will."

He became aware that someone was stroking the hair at his temple. He hadn't realized yet, that he HAD temples in the first place.

"Are you awake? Your eyes are open. Such beautiful eyes! I hope you like them. I didn't know what you looked like to begin with, so they are probably going to shock you..."

He tried to scream but only air escaped his lips.

* * *

><p>"We've secured the area Colonel, sir!"<p>

"Not a trace?" Mustang calmly strode into the barn, the structure swarming with blue uniforms.

"Not much. The Elrics are not here. There is a lot of blood and signs of struggle...you can see that the things managed to break in."

"As you were, soldier." He turned from the man and surveyed the room. A dusty roaster, a pool of crimson, one of Ed's tacky alchemy-created spears and a small work glove were all that was found -the spear tip marred in blood. He picked up the small, brown work glove, a glove commonly used by automail mechanics. "Miss Rockbell." He turned. "Hawkeye!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Gather the team, it appears we just missed them."

* * *

><p>Alphonse realized the voice was right, his eyes were open. He then realized, he HAD eyes. Slowly, the big bright blur changed to a big darker blur then he could make out the shape of a face hovering over his own.<p>

"Are you able to see yet? I remember it took me a while. Just relax, it will come."

"hhhhhhh!" Alphonse took his first breath in almost five years. His body involuntarily shot up to a sitting position. The air filled his new lungs, it hurt. IT HURT! He sputtered and coughed and felt small hands steady his shoulder. He felt the bile raise in his throat and he couldn't help it. He retched over the side of the table he now sat upon.

"It's ok, shhhhhhh." She took a cool, wet cloth and wiped his mouth and face, then placed it on the back of his neck. "It's NOT rejection, I promise...everyone awakes in a different way. Breathing is a shock to you right now, that's all." She helped him lay back down. "This body, although fresh, hasn't had air or tasted water in a while. You have to temper it, just a little before it becomes autonomic again."

He tried to speak, but it was as if his throat was filled with sand, he turned his head and saw her she was the girl from the church in Ratzull. She smiled when she saw the recognition in his new eyes.

"I have some ice chips, they'll help get things hydrated inside you." She placed some inside his mouth and he slowly chewed them. "I'm so excited for you! It's like you were born a second time! I can't wait to show you." He managed to swallow the ice.

"Ed...warrd? His parched lips mouthed his brother's name.

"We couldn't repair his lost limbs, if we still HAD them, maybe..." Alphonse pleaded with her using his new eyes. "Oh, don't worry, he's fine. The pretty girl with you is also fine. That was smart to cut off her hand, she would have been one of THOSE beasts by now if you hadn't." She shuddered as she said it. "I never did like it when Keren created those icky things. They're stupid but effective." She put more ice in his mouth.

Alphonse strained and raised his right hand into his field of vision. It was flesh and bone again as well as youthful and strong. His muscles started responding to the commands of his new brain and he was able to pull himself to a sitting position. The ice chips the girl had been feeding to him had effectively softened up the lining of his throat, he cleared it and attempted to talk again.

"What did you do to me?"

"Huh?" She looked at him as if he hurled a terrible insult with his words. "Al? I've just given you what you've had...a human body."

"Whose... body...is...this?" He felt the pit of his stomach drop and the feeling of nausea crept upon him again. He dreaded the answer but already knew it.

"Don't worry yourself with logistics of who it is, where it came from...why can't you just be happy it's YOURS now?" She huffed.

"I want to know!"

"Why don't you take a look first." She brought over a large, square mirror and held it in front of him. The face before him was a stranger. It wasn't the child he remember he looked like or even an older version of that child. His hair was black, almost as black as Roy Mustang's. He was fair-skinned and handsome, probably the correct age, about fifteen. But his eyes were all wrong. They were emerald green.

"Who...IS...this person!" He raised his voice and pushed the mirror away. "Did you KILL him to give me a body!" He swung his legs to one side of the table realizing he was wearing nothing but loose fitting blue pants, similar to those his brother seemed to wear every time he ended up in the hospital. He was furious. He wanted HIS body back not someone else's body. The thought that this stranger killed a boy and slapped his own soul to it was horrible.

"You're feisty aren't you." She backed away, her eyes turning to anger. "No one KILLED this boy." She crossed her arms. "He died of influenza, the newspaper obituary read. We liberated this shell for future use...you were our future use, Alphonse."

"How?" He brought his cold hand to his forehead and ran it through his bangs.

"As soon as you were found, Keren sensed something different. One only had to remove your helmet to see the blood seal and it was all clear." She moved closer. "Your brother did this, did he not?"

"He did it to save me, my body was taken..." He did not want to give her any more information. He did not want to tell her that his body was taken as part of the toll for seeing the truth when he and Edward tried to bring their dead mother back.

"Well, it was crudely done, very amateur."

"We were only children...he did the best he could to bond my soul to that armor, to save me from being lost forever."

"Alphonse, now you are bonded to a REAL human body. You will never grow old, the alchemy has taken care of that. You will never die, unless your body is destroyed or your new seal is broken."

" Blood seal?"

"Sort of..." She placed her hand on his chest, just over his heart. When she removed it, he could clearly see a red tattoo etched into his skin. It was about three inches across and clearly a transmutation circle of sorts, but of a type he had never seen before and not at all like the one his brother scrawled in his own blood on the inside of the armor suit so many years before.

"This now bonds you to this body and to this world." Her words mezmerized him. "It will not wash away. The alchemy from this circle I've activated on your chest not only anchors your soul but forces your dead heart to beat and your dead body to LIVE. I have one too." She moved the white eyelet fabric of her neckline to the side to reveal an identical circle over her heart.

"Many you will meet, your new comrades, will bear this sign." She smiled with pride.

"Who are you?"

"Call me, ILA. I follow Keren of Ishval who will soon be Keren, Fuhrer of Amestris."

"I want to see my brother." His head was bent, still resting on his hands, his eyes dark.

"He's not awake yet, he was beaten _quite severely_..." She knew these last words cut into him, she knew HE had done the severe beating.

"Please. Take me to Edward and Winry." He raised his head and looked at her with his large emerald eyes, pleading.

"Stay here, Alphie dear, don't you think I should warm them up to the new you first? Let me introduce you properly. I'll be right back!" She blew him a kiss, twirled and quickly left the room.

"Wait!" Al tried to follow, but his legs were not ready to support his weight yet and he fell to the floor.

* * *

><p>Winry took close charge of her small surroundings. Four walls. A door. A cot. She'd tried the door but it was locked tight. She awoke in total darkness, sore and scared. After her body adjusted to the darkness, she tried yelling and screaming and banging on the door, to no avail. Where was Ed...Al? She tried to remember what happened before she awoke but only could remember being in a barn and fighting with Ed. Her arm bothered her too, specifically, her hand tingled slightly like she had slept on it. Moving and flexing it did help though. She had searched the room for something she could use to get the door open and found nothing so she sat on the utilitarian cot and waited. Suddenly, she heard the lock mechanism for the door moving.<p>

"Hello!" she stood. The door slowly opened, light trickling inside the room. There before her was a young girl, dressed in white. Her hair was long and so blond, it was almost the same color of her dress. Her eyes were large and cold gray and there was no comfort in her smile.

"Hello. Are you well?" Ila threw back the door and entered the room. "I was so worried, you lost so much blood."

"Huh?" Winry could now see her surroundings and herself. She was still wearing her coveralls and as she looked down, she saw that they were stained in blood, a lot of blood. She felt a little woozy and sat down. "What happened?"

"You were bitten." She sat down next to the blond and gently grabbed her injured hand, bringing it into the light. "Edward severed your hand, that kept you from turning into a monster."

"He, what?"

"See?" She traced her small index finger along a hair fine white scar that ran around Winry's wrist, barely noticeable, but there. "I put it back on for you, figured you'd like to have two hands instead of one." She smiled.

"Where's Edward?" Winry's eyes turned serious. "Alphonse?"

"I'll take you to Edward, I need to check on him too. Now, Alphie...he's going to take a little explaining before you see him." She rose and gently guided Winry toward the open door. Ila held the mechanic's left hand and rubbed circles with her free hand in the small of her back as they exited.

"Is Alphonse alright too?" She stepped quickly, the girls touch making her uncomfortable.

"Oh, he's better than alright...you'll see. First, Edward." She guided Winry around a corner to another door, opened it and they were inside a large room.

"Where are we?"

"Welcome to the Church of Lito in Ratzul. It's our HQ for now." she smiled. "There's the golden boy!"

"Ed?" Winry realized she had been here before when she was a child. Granny took her to services here years ago, after her parents died but before Ed and Al lost their bodies. They only went once, and she never really knew just why they went in the first place but she defiently remembers the meeting hall in the basement of the church, it creeped her out then and creeped her out now. Most morbidly of all, the vision of Edward motionless on the altar made her heart skip a beat. "Edward!" She broke free of the freaky girl's hand and rushed to the raised sanctuary. Edward lay on the wooden altar unconscious with his automail arm removed. His face was battered, bruised and patched up with bandages. She took both sides of his head in her hands and leaned in close. "Ed? Please wake up. Wake up!" He began to stir, his face contorting. "Speak to me Edward!"

"Hnnn?"

"Ooooh! It's like sleeping beauty! Kiss him, he'll wake up!" Ila clasped her hands together with glee.

"Winry?" He opened his eyes and amber met blue eyes staring at him and she was scared. He raised his flesh hand to his head and rubbed. "Ouch."

"Ed!" She hugged him.

"No, not a hug, a kiss!" Ila's prodding became obnoxious.

"Edward, I'm so sorry I hit you..." She lightly touched some of his bruises, thinking she had done it. He slowly sat up. "You? Winry, you can hit like a man, but it wasn't you that did this...wait!" he pulled her hand up, seeing it fully restored, but he noticed the fine white scar. "I deserved every single punch." He traced the circumference of her wrist scar with regret. He loathed the fact that he caused even the slightest mar on her perfect body.

"Edward, this girl...she said she healed me, I still don't understand or remember what happened." She looked down at her bloodied coveralls. Edward winced, not wanting to explain how he hit Winry so hard she blacked out and in the next second he had to cut off her hand.

"Hey? Where's Al?" He launched himself off the table and turned toward Ila. "Where's my little brother?" Anger started to boil within him.

"He's fine..." Her sentence was cut off by the sounds of footsteps entering the meeting hall.

"Who's there?" Edward couldn't see past the candlelight of the altar.

"Ed?" A male voice echoed through the basement, an unfamiliar voice.

"Show yourself!"

Slowly, a dark figure approached the trio. His steps were unsure and unsteady. He was young, handsome and dark-haired. The figure made his way to the altar and steadied himself.

"Who are you?" Winry asked, but deep inside, the familiar feeling in her gut told her the truth.

"It's me! Don't you see? It's _me_...Al!" His face came into the light and his emerald eyes glowed.

Ila laughed.


	7. Chapter 7: Strong

**A/N: This chapter vexed me. It's not what I wanted, but had to make myself write. **

**CHAPTER 7: STRONG **

"Brother?" The young man stumbled to the altar, his legs still uneasy. "It's me...really...it's..."

"Al...Alphonse?" Edward, still sitting on the altar top, strained because of his missing arm but managed to turn toward the dark-haired boy.

"It's like a family reunion!" Ila twirled around, her white dress ruffling with the movement of her small body.

"Prove it!" Edward took his one arm and pushed off of the altar, standing next to the strange boy. Winry gasped. "How do I know you are Alphonse?" His eyes glared into green ones.

"Ed?" Winry came to his side. "Could it...really be..."

"That's what I'm trying to find out. Prove it, kid!"

"Yes! Alphie! Prove it Prove it!" Ila was elated.

"Ed..." Alphonse breathed. "You hate milk. You snore so loud, my bolts shake. You can eat five pounds of steak in one sitting." He stood taller, his voice growing louder. "You hate being called a shrimp. You blame yourself for me losing my body."

"Those could be wild guesses!" The alchemist snarled.

"Ok, well, I do know something only you and Winry know."

"Tell it!" Winry shouted. "C'mon, if you really are Al, here in the flesh, tell it!"

"Well...um...so..." He stammered.

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Edward crossed his arms.

"I know what you and Winry did last night!" He shouted, sorry for it immediately after the words left his new lips.

"Ooohh! Alphie, what DID they do?" the girl in white encouraged him.

"No!" Both Ed and Winry shouted and placed a hand over the boy's mouth. They all knew the truth, but didn't want it uttered out loud.

"What did you do to my brother!" Edward turned his angered amber gaze toward Ila. "You could have KILLED him!" Winry held on to Edward's left shoulder.

"If I were an amateur like you, maybe...but I've been doing this for a very long time and have perfected the practice." Her tone turned dark.

"Souls cannot be bonded to flesh! it's tricky enough bonding them to an object but they are NOT compatible with a different person's body!" His anger could not be controlled. "The body will reject the foreign soul...it's one reason, it's..." He couldn't utter it.

"Edward?" Al flashed his green eyes.

"It's one reason, I never suggested it to you before, it's not possible."

"Yet, here he is..."

"Ila," Winry was not known for keeping quiet, but she had quietly stood there, taking this all in. "So, you saved my life, and probably Ed's too. You've given Al a real body." Her blue eyes seared with anger. "Now where is Ed's arm and what the hell do you WANT with us?"

"Winry is it?" The girls gray eyes sparkled and the hair on the back of her neck rose. "Sit down and shut up." She clasped her hands together and touched the ground. Immediately a tiny blue spark traveled the short distance toward Winry who immediately clutched her heart and doubled over in pain.

"Winry!" Ed grabbed her as she fell. Alphonse turned toward Ila and started for her.

"Behave, Alphie!" She jumped out of his grasp, clasped her hands again and the spark traveled to Al. He immediately doubled over, grasping the strange transmutation circle etched over his heart. "Everyone be stil!" She shouted and slowely stepped away from the trio.

"What did you do!" Edward looked from Winry to his brother, who was no longer in pain, but very weak, he held the girl close.

"Safety precaution, Edward." She pointed to the circle on her chest. "Alphie and Winry also have one, although HERS is temporary and Al's, well, it keeps his body alive...for now. Call it a blood seal if you wish."

"Please tell us what you want from us." Al rose up to a sitting position, breathing hard from the pain.

"You and your brother are part of Keren's army now. Tomorrow morning we will attack the mass of Amestrian soldiers already in Resembool. You will use your alchemy to assist us. We will turn the dead and wounded into more soldiers and press onward defeating anyone who tries to stop us until we reach Central City where we will place Keren in power."

"Ila, I don't care if you did give me a body...I'm not going to help you kill anyone, not especially our friends in the military." Alphonse stood fearless.

"That goes for me too," Edward screamed.

"What you don't understand, dear Alchemists, is you don't have a choice. I hold both Alphie's and Winry's lives in my hands." She clapped her hands together and touched her blood seal. Both Alphonse and Winry convulsed in pain, both clutching their hearts.

"Stop it!" Edward shouted. "Just stop!" The girl released her hand from her heart and the screaming stopped.

"That's better."

"What do we have to do?" Edward pleaded.

"Brother, no!" Alphonse gasped, trying to also get this breath.

"Shuddup, Al, let's hear what she has to say." Ed looked at his brother and Al realized Ed was formulating a plan. He lifted Winry up to a sitting position. "Win, are you ok?"

"No, but I'll live." She rubbed her chest and moved her bloodied coveralls aside to see a dark red transmutation circle drawn over her heart. She rubbed it furiously but it didn't even smear.

"It won't come off." Ila chided her. "Althought it was placed on your skin with alchemy, it is not permanent until I activate it, but it will not rub off. Alphie's on the other hand, it's on him for good." She calmly strolled over to Ed and Winry and knelt down until she was inches away from the boy's face. "And if you do anything at all to hurt our cause, both of them will die." Edward stared into her gray eyes. "Got that? Tell me!"

"I got it." He smirked. He smelled the stench of the girl's breath and at this close range, he could tell something was not quite right with Ila. Her hair was flat, dull and brittle. He imagined if he grabbed it, it would fall out in clumps. her skin was not plump and fresh as it should be in a twelve year old girl, it was thin, like an onion and her blue veins were visible. In the dim candle light of this basement meeting hall, her condition was not so apparent, but this close, Edward could see it clearly. Alphonse noticed it too. "We'll do what you want. Just don't hurt them."

"Good. You'll need your arm, some food and rest." She stood up and began walking toward the door. Before she got there two men entered. "These are some of my Generals." She turned toward the men. "Did you get him?"

"No, he wouldn't be convinced." He lowered his eyes, having failed his mission.

"Scar killed three of us, we tried to reason with him, we tried to convince him our goals were the same." The second man pleaded.

"Very unfortunate. He would be a powerful ally, now he's a powerful enemy." She sighed.

"Show the alchemists and the girl to a safe house, they need cleaned up," She pointed toward Winry's blood stained clothing. "Bring the boy's arm and get them all some fresh clothes and food."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Edward, Alphie," She turned toward them. "Don't think about leaving before the battle." She smiled and left the room, one of the men leaving with her.

"Follow me." The other man motioned for the trio to follow.

"Ed, did you see it?" Al whispered.

"Yeah." Ed replied not missing a beat.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Winry got the words out right before she threw up in a pew. Alphonse was closest and he rushed to her side.

"Hey!" Edward shouted to the man leading the out. "She's sick! We need water, please?"

"Stay right there." The man exited the door.

"Good diversion, Win!" Ed patted her back.

"What...diversion...?" She choked.

"Al, can you find it? Can you get it quickly?"

"Right." Alphonse leaped up and ran to the far wall. He hoped it would work. Having not tried alchemy in his new body, he was unsure if he could do it without a transmutation circle. He clasped his hands together and placed them on the wall. Miraculously, the wall disappeared and a doorway materialized. He ran through it.

"Winry, I need you to be strong, can you stop barfing?" Edward was rubbing her back.

"I think so. Been standing too long." She wiped her mouth and he helped her up.

"You lost a lot of blood, you need water." He held her hand with his new automail, reveling in the sensation of her skin on the metal. A faint glow and movement drew his attention as Al reentered the room, closing the wall back as he entered, then running to his brother and Winry.

"Got it." He panted, out of breath. And not a second too soon as their guard returned with a glass of water. Edward walked toward him, and took the glass.

"Take a few sips, Win, slowly." He offered her the drink and she took it.

"We must go. NOW." The man motioned toward the door. "Carry her if she cannot walk."

"I'll walk." She said defiantly, but still sipping the water.

"Good girl." Edward praised her as they left the room, knowing she really didn't need it, she was strong, she'd have to be for what he knew would come.


	8. Chapter 8: The Ed I Know

**A/N: I've had some exciting ideas about where I want the story to go. I just LOVE EDWin.**

**CHAPTER 8: THE ED I KNOW**

"I'm sorry, Ed." Winry uttered, barely audible. "I don't think I can walk as far as he is taking us."

"Win?" Ed turned and caught her as she fell. "Up you go." He tried to hoist her up, to carry her but she slipped.

"Brother, let me." Al swooped in and before any protest, had Winry in his arms with very little effort.

"Thanks Al," She rest her head against his bare chest and closed her eyes.

"I had it, Al...she's just HEAVIER than I remembered..." Ed sulked

"Ed, are you calling me fat?" Her voice was weak, but her anger was apparent.

"N,n,n,nooo!" Ed waved his hands. "No, you, you just grew!" He knew he was digging himself into a very deep hole.

"Maybe...you just got shorter...and weaker." She was too tired to fight but had to get the last word.

"Stop it, both of you." Al got a better grip on the girl he carried as they followed the guard across town in the darkness. Winry closed her eyes again. They came to an Inn, or what was the Ratzul Inn. It now lay deserted.

"Follow me." The dark man motioned for them to follow him upstairs. They came to the end of a hallway to two open doors. "Her room is here." He pointed to one door and motioned to Al. Alphonse carried Winry inside and gingerly set her on the bed.

"Win," He whispered, "Rest for now, well talk later."

"Sure." She was so sleepy and tired. She looked at the dark haired young man leaning over her, despite the lovely green eyes, his smile was unmistakably Al.

"Your room, is next door."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it." Ed walked into the other room followed by Al. The door closed behind them and they heard a metallic ring sound and a small blue spark and knew the lock was sealed by Alchemy. Winry's was sealed as well. "I guess we are locked in for the night." He looked at their room. Two beds, a bathroom and a sitting area. There was a table and two chairs. The table was laden with food-cheese, ham, bread, apples, a pitcher of water and one of milk. Ed noticed that on one of the beds was his missing automail arm. Both beds also had a small bundle of clothes. Alphonse walked over this his bed and held up a pair of denim overalls three sizes too big.

"They want me to fight in a battle...dressed as a _farmer_?"

"Al! We have bigger issues than what you are going to _wear _tomorrow!" He picked up his arm. "C'mon, help me get this on." He shoved the metal limb at Al's chest. "I want to check on Winry.

"Sure, Brother." Al took the limb and held it in line with the metal port on Ed's right side. "I'm sorry if this hurts, I don't have any of Winry's tools."

"Just do it, already." Ed gripped himself for the pain. Al shoved the arm into it's socket and as the nerves connected, a volt of electric pain ran down Ed's spine. "Ow! Son of a bitch, that hurts!"

"Sorry." Al scratched the back of his head.

"Ok," He panted. "Let's check on Winry." Edward ran to the far wall that separated their room from the girl's. He clasped his hands together and slammed them on the wall making an opening.

What they saw stunned them both. Winry was standing directly across from them. She had removed her blooded coveralls and stood in front of the full length mirror clad only in her black tube top and underwear. She was clutching the skin of the transmutation circle on her chest in one hand and a knife, most likely from the table of food in her room, in her other hand. She had just pierced her skin and a long trickle of blood ran down her bosom staining the black cloth of her top.

"Stop that Winry!" Edward screamed and ran toward her. He grabbed the knife and took it from her.

"I couldn't do it." She sobbed. "I tried, but I couldn't cut it off." Her eyes shone in the dim light. "Ed, please, cut this miserable thing off. I don't want to be the reason you are forced to hurt and kill our friends."

"Winry." Ed handed the knife to Al. "It's ok, you don't have to cut this off." He took her in his arms and led her over to a chair and sat her down.

"Here, Win, let me stop the bleeding." Alphonse took a cloth napkin from the table and held it to the cut on the girl's chest. When he realized what he was doing AND touching, he blushed. Winry smiled and took the napkin from him and held it to her wound.

"As I was saying." Edward didn't miss that small interaction between his brother and his mechanic. "It wouldn't matter if you cut it off."

"That's right," All finished. "I can't remove mine...it still keeps us in their power."

"Yeah, but I'm working on a way to fix that." Ed smirked.

"Ok, I trust you both. I know you'll figure something out." She slumped in the chair.

"Winry, you need to eat something, and drink...I can't believe I'm saying this...but...I want you to drink this damned cow juice." Ed shakily gripped the pitcher of milk, taking care not to spill of drop of the dreaded stuff, and poured her a glass.

"I will, but I'm covered in grime and blood. What I really want is a bath." She tried to stand but fell back down in the chair.

"I'll take care of it, Al, can you make her a sandwich?" Ed stood up and walked toward the bathroom.

"Sure." He took another knife and started slicing the bread. Al couldn't wait to try it himself. He hadn't tasted anything in years. He cut a slice of cheese and popped it into his mouth. "Oh!"

"Is it good?" Winry asked.

"Better than I remember!" He sliced up some of the ham and made them both large sandwiches. Al handed Winry hers and he took a big bite of his. "Ham and cheese! It tastes better than I remember! God, this taste good." Winry smiled and feebly took a bite of her own sandwich.

"God?" Ed poked his head out of the bathroom, steam rolled out of the room as the bathwater ran. "I didn't think you believed in God either Alphonse."

"This...meal..." Al mumbled between bites and chewing. "Is enough to make me believe again."

"Yeah, yeah...enjoy it while you can little brother." Ed went back into the bathroom.

"What does he mean by that, Al?" Winry stopped eating.

"Ila hasn't perfected it at all, Winry." She looked at the boy with a puzzled expression. "Edward is right, you cannot permanently bond a foreign soul to a different body." he stuffed the last bite of his ham sandwich in his mouth and grabbed a large red apple and started to slice it.

"You mean...Al!" She was worried. "You can't stay in this body?"

"Yeah, I don't know how long I have...that's why I got this back at the church, I took it out of my old armor." He reached into his pocket and brought out a long curved piece of metal and set it down on the table. On the inside of the curve rest the transmutation symbol of life, drawn in Ed's blood all those years ago, the symbol that formerly bonded him to the suite of armor. "Ila doesn't have long either, her body is degrading." he took a bite of apple. "Oh, man, this apple is good!"

"Al?" She couldn't understand how he was eating after just telling her his body was rejecting his soul.

"Winry, eat!" He put some apple slices down in front of her. "It's ok. Brother and I have a plan...if something happens, he'll put me back onto this." He tapped the metal scrap with his finger. "I just have to carry it along and keep close to Ed tomorrow." He took a sip of milk. "Edward! The milk tastes wonderful!" He wiped his white milk mustache off and sat back and patted his full stomach. "Yum!"

"Al, take it easy, you don't want to overeat!" Edward was by Winry's side. "Winry, it's ready." He held out his hand, she took it.

"Ed? Can you bond his soul back to this piece of metal?" She leaned on him as they walked to the bathroom.

"Yeah...well, sure, I think I can."

"He can do it!" Alphonse yelled as he made himself another sandwich.

"I think you can too." Winry smiled as Ed helped her to the tub.

"Ok, I'll, um...I'll let you, you know..." Ed stammered.

"Ed...don't leave." She seemed so small, so helpless. "I think I need your help."

"Uh, ok...I'll, um, turn so you can, you know, get in?" He blushed.

"Don't you think we are PAST modesty?" She smiled at his nervousness. She pulled her top off, her arms hurt as she raised them over her head. Winry steadied herself on the edge of the large, claw footed tub and took off her underwear. "Some help?" She held out her hand to Ed.

"Yeah, sure." He took her hand and helped her in the deep warm water. "I thought you'd like bubbles...i put some shampoo in the water."

"It's nice." She sank into the water up to her chin, the bubble layer covering her nakedness.

"Ed."

"Yeah."

"Please don't get killed tomorrow." Her voice was dark. "Promise me."

"Winry...I will try."

"No, don't try...PROMISE me!" She grit her teeth. "If I had a spanner I'd bean you, you idiot." She was too weak to yell at this point.

"You're putting me in a terrible situation...I might break that promise, Win." He put the toilet seat down and sat down.

"You jerk...just promise!" She let her body slip down into the hot water until her head was totally submerged. She lay there in the quiet water and looked up at the ceiling, an opening in the bubbles gave her a clear view. Suddenly, a worried face with messy blond hair and large golden eyes came into view. Edward leaned over the tub and gazed into her open blue eyes as she gazed into his amber ones through the water. His worry subsided as he realized she was holding her breath. He reached into the water with his automail hand and caressed her right cheek. Ed relished the warm feeling of the water and the softness of her skin, a feeling ripping through the artificial nerves in his new hand. Winry smiled back and pulled herself out fo the water. She sat fully up, the water running down her drenched hair into her open eyes. Edward's hand was still on her cheek.

"I promise you, woman...I will not die." He smirked. "I won't let Al die either." He took her wet face in both hands and leaned in close.

"That's the Edward I know." She smiled back at him. They were inches away from each other and that gap was becoming slowly smaller and smaller.

"Ed?" Al's voice startled them. "Oh, gosh...I'm sorry, didn't mean..." He was standing just outside the door.

"What do you need Al?" Winry slumped back into the bubbles and Ed got up and exited the bathroom.

"I was thinking about making this into a belt buckle," He handed him his former blood seal. "But, I don't want to break it, do you think you can do it?"

"Yeah, I think so. We need more material, for a belt." He looked around searching for something he could transmute into a belt. There was also a bundleof clean clothes on the end of Winry's bed but he quickly discarded them, she'd need them. He then saw Winry's bloodied coveralls crumpled in the floor. "I don't think she'll mind if I use this." He grabbed the garment, and winched at the dark stain as he unfolded it on the bed. He turned toward the bathroom. "Are you doing ok in there, Winry?"

"Fine, almost done."

"Ok. Al, the seal." Al placed the piece of metal on top of the coveralls. Edward then clasped his hands together, a vibrant ring sound could be heard and he placed his hands on the garment. Small blue sparks ran along the tan and red fabric and it morphed into a brown leather belt, the silver armor piece now the buckle.

"That's just what I was thinking! Thanks, brother!" Al grabbed the belt and walked toward the door. "Now I can make myself something to wear." He turned back to Ed. "You need to eat something too, Edward...I have a feeling we'll need all of our strength." He left the room.

"Yeah, probably." Edward turned back to the bathroom. "Win?" He came in to see her, already wrapped in a white towel and sitting on the edge of the tub.

"Ed, sorry, I'm just so tired." She smiled.

"I know...huh?" He caught sight of the red symbol over her heart and had an idea. "Here, let me help." He offered her his automail arm to pull herself out of the tub. He walked her to the bed and she sat down. "I need a pen." he opened the drawer to the bedside table and found what he needed, a black ink pen.

"What for? You going to write a letter, Ed?"

"Nah," He smirked. "But this is the wrong color, needs to be red." He transmuted the black ink into red. "Do you mind if I improve that mark on your chest?"

"What?"

"The transmutation circle," He took the pen and held it to her skin. "It's not been activated. I've not seen this symbol before...It closely resembles the one I drew on Al's armor, but not quite." As he spoke, he lightly pressed the fountain pen to Winry's chest making a subtle change to the seal in red ink. When he was done, he leaned in close and blew on the wet ink to dry it. He smiled as his breath brought goose bumps on the girls flesh. "Done." He sat back.

"What did you do?" She peered down at the symbol but didn't notice anything different.

"I changed it just so slightly...whatever it's original purpose was, it won't work that way anymore." He smiled.

"Will it hurt me?"

"Nah, if Ila activates it, she'll just be really surprised." He got up and grabbed a garment off the end of the bed and handed it to her. "Here, you need to get some sleep.

"Yeah, I'm beat." She pulled the long white shirt over her head and put it on over her towel, then took the towel off and wrapped it over her wet hair. She pulled back the covers and crawled into bed. She turned her head and was suddenly face to face with Ed.

"Good night, Win, everything will be fine." He smiled.

"Good." She yawned and closed her eyes.

"Yeah, just fine." Ed got up and walked back into his room. Al was already in his bed.

"Is she going to be ok?"

"Yes, she's exhausted, she couldn't keep her eyes open." He walked over the to table, deciding he should get something to eat.

"Well, I'm not, I haven't slept in over five years, I'm not sure I know how." He yawned.

"It will come back to you, Al." Ed sat down at the table and made himself a large sandwich. He was just about to take a bite when a sound rattled the windows and shook the room. It was Al snoring. "Great." He smiled as he ate. He doubted he would be the one to get any sleep this night, but was glad the two most important people in his world were lost to slumber.


	9. Chapter 9:  Earth and Air

**3/25/12 A/N:**

**I hope all three of you reading this are enjoying it. :) I love, just love the**

**Resembool trio! **

Chapter 9: Earth and Air

Roy Mustang wished he'd caught some extra sleep when he had the chance. Instead, he was awake at three thirty in the morning surveying the battlefield outside Ratzull. In a few hours, the sun would rise and the carnage would start. Ishval. He couldn't keep that word from popping up in his mind as he calculated where to place the infantry. Not since the strife in Ishval had Mustang seen a bloodied battle - he hoped that was the last time. These creatures and the walking dead were the enemy, not Ishvalans.

"Colonel." The strong feminine voice startled him from his battle planning.

"Riza…..Lieutenant?"

"I've found a good position…the water tower. I'll have a perfect view of the battle. I'll take out their command and any alchemists. Fury will assist."

"You'll be a sitting duck up there once your position is discovered." He exhaled.

"Not if you keep them from it." She smiled at him. Trust was the simplest and most poignant word to describe the two's relationship. She trusted Mustang explicitly and wholly. Riza knew that he needed her sharp shooting skills to take out the important persons in this conflict, thus confusing their monstrous army. She also knew that he would do everything in his power to divert attention from her high ground.

"I had hoped bloodshed like this ended with Ishval." He meant it. "At least the burning flesh will be the undead."

"Colonel? What about the Elrics?" Riza couldn't hid her concern for the brothers. The eldest amused her with his antics and the youngest lived with hope she could only dream of.

"We don't know what's happened to them…or the Rockbell girl." He frowned. "But if I know Fullmetal, they are still alive…he has too much to live for to die right now." He turned to her. "I have to believe that."

"I want to believe that, too." Riza knew that Edward's life was ruined by alchemy. She of all people could identify with that, the scarred tattoo on her back stood just as much as a testament to that as Ed's missing limbs. "But, what if they've been turned?"

"If so," He closed his eyes, "we'll have no choice but to take them down…can you do that, Riza? Can you kill someone you love?"

Her brown eyes widened, then focused directly into his onyx ones. She squared her shoulders. "Most certainly."

"Good." He was pleased. His subordinate, his most trusted ally, besides Maes Hughes, Riza Hawkeye just affirmed a command he had given her years ago in two simple words.

* * *

><p>He didn't sleep much that night. In fact, Edward didn't plan on sleeping at all, he hadn't even changed his clothes. He couldn't sleep. It wasn't Al's incessant snoring that kept him awake…no it WAS that damned sound coming from his brother, but besides that, he was worried. He had a lot to do today. He had to keep Al safe, keep himself from getting killed, not harm any of the military and at the same time actually LOOK like he was trying to kill them so he could protect Winry. It was too much. Edward did have a simple plan that involved a lot of acting and show. Yeah, he could do that. He mulled it over and over: protect Al, protect the military, protect Winry, protect self. "Yeah, yeah…get it over with and move forward." He sat up and a new sound from outside caught his attention.<p>

This sound carried like a low guttural lull from the field. If he wasn't fully awake, he might have mistaken it for a cow out in the misty fog - which amplifies and carries such sounds. This was no cow. It was a cacophony of sounds, starting low and gaining in number until his stomach turned. Edward got out of bed and looked outside. The sun hung low on the horizon as dawn approached and in this low light, he caught the red and yellow glowing eyes of the turned humans and the walking deceased. Hundreds? No thousands upon thousands all wavering and weaving in place waiting for the go ahead to kill. They all moaned.

He was scared. "Shit." Ed's eyes grew wider. "Shit. Shit. Shit!" He placed a shaking left hand on his brother's face and shook. "A…Al? Wake. Up."

"Ngh?" Alphonse muttered through his brother's hand. "…no more pie, Winry…too full."

"Al!"

"I DON'T NEED PANTS TO EAT APPLE PIE!" Al shouted and jumped out of his bed, stunned.

Edward just stared at him and blinked. "Just what the fuck where you dreaming about, huh?" A vein popped on his forehead as the elder glared at his younger brother.

"N..n..nothing." Al blushed but soon heard the sounds too. "Edward?" He ran toward the window and saw the inhuman army mulling and waiting.

"Yeah." Ed ran his hands through his hair and sat down.

"How are we…."

"I don't have a clue." He lowered his face. "I'm scared, Al."

"Brother?"

"Sorry. I am. Scared pretty much shitless." He exhaled. "But, I don't think there's anyway out but forward. Just do some great acting, Al, and follow my lead. 'kay?"

"Got it." Al trusted his brother, he had faith that as long as they were together, they'd get through this.

"Get dressed, I want to check on Winry."

Alphonse started gathering his clothing. "Right." He really was not going into this battle wearing denim overalls. He took a fork and scratched an array on the wooden table and placed the denim on top then slammed his hands down, activating the circle, causing a ringing sound and a short burst of blue. In an instant the blue denim and plaid shirt were transformed into black jeans and a black jacket. "Much better!" He began dressing.

Edward moved quietly into the dark adjoining room. As he made his way to the bed, a slight figure sat hunched over sleeping Winry. Ila. As he approached, he heard the girl singing softly and she was stroking the mechanic's hair. "Get away from her." He uttered in a hushed tone so as not to wake the sleeping girl.

"She's worn out." Ila hopped down from the bed to face Edward.

"What do you want, Ila?" He glared.

"Just to get you two ready." She danced around him like a child. "Is Alphie ready too?" She peered into the next room and looked back. "I will need you to focus your alchemy on the heavyweights on the Amestrian side - their Alchemists. Can you do that?"

"Yeah." He smirked.

"Do this for us and you will be rewarded. Your brother now has a body, we can give you your limbs…" She smiled.

"Ila, quit the bullshit. We both know that Al's body and soul are NOT compatible, just like your soul and body are falling apart!" He grabbed a lock of her hair and without much effort, yanked it from her head. He let the dead strands fall to the ground. "You've known about your rejection for a while now, haven't you." He got right into the child's face. "You'll be needing a new body soon, won't you?" Ed's heart stopped when the realization hit him. His eyes widened as he looked upon Winry sleeping peacefully. Ila's smile widened with such malice that he felt like throwing up. "You bitch!" He stepped between Winry and the white child.

"With every transmutation of soul I perform, the longer my soul remains bonded. I've lived in this body for five years, of course, the child does not grow- she is dead." She inched her way closer to Edward. "Before her, I was a young man, a handsome man, for four years." She came closer and closer.

"I get it. You've reincarnated your damned soul for years and years. You've lived as women and men and children."

"Yes. And when I found Keren, I knew I could obtain the one thing I lacked."

"What? Power?"

"No, the one thing to make this transmutation permanent, you of all people know what I'm talking about." She was inches away from him now.

"The Philospher's Stone?"

"You got it." She jumped back. "Once we take control of Amestris, the one's who truly control this country will be in MY….will be in Keren's power and THEY control the Stone."

"Yeah, but you're gonna do this WITHOUT Winry or there's no way in HELL Al and I will help, doesn't matter what you do to US."

"My, you're touchy, Edward." She backed down. "Fine, I'll find another lovely to inhabit, but if you and your brother let us down today, I will kill him AND the girl and make you watch." Edward met her stare and he didn't doubt her words. "You have five minutes." And with that, she stormed out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, Edward was at Winry's side. "Win….wake up!" She stirred and opened her eyes.

"Ed? Is it time?" She sat up, her hair hung loose around her shoulders.

"Winry, Ila is dangerous. You have to protect yourself from her while we are gone." He scanned the room and saw a metal tray on the table. Ed ran over to it and transmuted it into an ornate dagger. "Here, keep this hidden and on you at all times."

"What?"

"Just listen to me!

"Alright!" She didn't like weapons, she really wanted her biggest wrench but the knife would have to do.

"Lock yourself up here until we get back." He caressed her worried face with his now feeling right hand. "I promise, we will come back for you and get you out of this."

"I know you will." Her voice was confident. She leapt forward catching Ed's mouth in a kiss. Startled at first, he slowly melted into her kiss.

"Winry, I really wish you'd stayed on that train." He really felt she'd punch him, but she didn't, she just stared into his golden eyes as she was imploring him to understand her will. "I can't protect you and that terrifies me."

"Protect Al and yourself." She held the hilt of the dagger up. "Believe me. I'll do whatever it takes to protect MYSELF until you get back."

"I know you will." He hugged her just as Alphonse came into the room carrying a bundle of red.

"Ed, we have to go." He tossed the bundle at his brother , Ed caught it and shook it out revealing his signature red coat with the crucified serpent symbol emblazoned on the back. Al walked over to Winry as his brother put it on. "I made it from the bedspread." He embraced Winry in a strong hug. "I'll barricade you in the room when we leave."

"Alphonse." She placed a hand to his face, running it through the side of his black hair as he smiled. "Protect yourself and Edward."

"I will. We BOTH will be back before you know it. Keep yourself safe!" He leaned in and kissed her forehead. As he retreated, a clump of dark hair came out in her hands. All three of them noticed but said nothing as the dark strands fell to the floor.

"C'mon, Al, let's get this over with." Ed ran to the entrance of the room, clasped his hands together and transmuted the door and wall into stone, blocking the entrance.

"Does anyone have a pen?" Al looked around.

"Here." Winry handed him the red pen off of the side table.

"Thanks, Win!" He and Edward left the room and Ed transmuted that doorway into a wall as well. Al began to scribble on his palm.

"An array?" Edward peered at his brother's work. Al had finished drawing an alchemic circle on his left palm and was doing the same to his right.

"Yeah, will make it easier than scratching it on the ground. Does it look right to you, Ed?" He showed them to his brother.

Ed peered at the red ink. One was a circle in which was an upside down triangle with a line through it. "Earth." The other was a circle with a right side up triangle with a line through it. "Air." Ed smiled. "Looks about right for what we need to do." The two brothers ran side by side toward the battlefield.


	10. CHAPTER 10: Soul in Transit

**CHAPTER 10: Soul in Transit**

Sixteen years of living in Amestris did not prepare the youth for war. While doing his research in the military library, he had read reports about the war in Ishval. He knew Roy, Riza and his other compatriots in the military carried the guilt and weight of nasty battles - he saw it behind their eyes all the time- but Edward just wasn't sure he was ready for something as big as this particular conflict in Ratzul. He knew when he sold his soul to the military this may happen, but he certainly did not think he'd be on the wrong side! The battlefield stretched conveniently along a wide valley just outside the town. He could see rolling farmland on the distance and thousands of blue uniforms waiting on one side, while a sea of gray beasts and dead swayed and waited on his side.

"Brother?" Sensing the same thing, Alphonse felt his stomach churn at the sights before him. "Where are the Ishvalans?"

Edward looked around. Indeed, this "Keren of Ishval" Ila went on about supposedly wanted an Ishvalan uprising, evidently also trying to recruit Scar. However, no where he looked could he find a single dark-skinned, red-eyed and light-haired Ishvalan. "Good question." He turned to the man leading them to their station, a man much like Al, dark and with the same blood seal. "Hey, where's the Ishvalans?"

"I was Ishvalan." He uttered. "Once." Evidently he was not going to give Ed more than that.

"Souls bonded to corpses." Ed shrugged. "I just don't get it."

"They all are like me?" Alphonse couldn't wrap his mind around it. Ishvalans believed alchemy was taboo, of the damned.

"They probably didn't have a choice either."

Alphonse considered this for a second. "I guess after being resurrected with alchemy, it just didn't matter."

The boys arrived at their post and soon discovered that they were not the only alchemists in Keren's army. Like Alphonse, all the others were bonded souls. As they walked to the front of their army, the beasts and dead made way for them but did not make any move to attack, evidently they had their own orders.

"Alchemists!" A loud voice boomed from behind and the Elrics turned to see an aged soldier, he too, carried a blood seal. "The first wave of infantry will strike and you will move. Backup infantry to follow. Target their alchemists and commanders. Take them out and the beasts will follow!" He mounted his horse. "Death to Amestris!" He shouted and raised his sword.

"Death to Amestris!" The souls responded and repeated quickly followed by the beasts-who mouthed it much better than the dead. Over and over the chant carried across the valley into the ears and chilled the souls of the living.

"Move forward!" the commander lowered his sword and the monsters, having held back all morning were now no longer restrained and burst forward toward the men they longed to devour. After the first wave of gray darted toward the blue uniforms, the alchemists lined up, including the Elrics.

"They are moving!" Fuery's voice cracked as he yelled into the communications equipment set up precariously on the water tower with Hawkeye. "Colonel, they are coming!"

Mustang didn't need that screamed into his ear and lowered his receiver. He _heard_ the ghastly chant and felt the rumble of thousands of feet coming toward his men. "Get ready! Get the cannons ready!" He turned to the war machines in his arsenal and felt confident that they would mow the wave of gray coming at them down in one fell sweep. "Fire!"

Hell. This is where many of the sentient minds involved in the conflict felt there were transported. Riza Hawkeye stared through the telescopic sight of her high powered and long range rifle and caught this first hand. As human met beast in hand to hand combat, beast was superior. Limbs flew from their bodies in a wash of red and screams carried up the valley to her ears there up on the tower.

"Riza!" His strong voice came over clear in her headset. "Can you target their alchemists?"

"Yes." She had just put two bullets in between the eyes of a beast, it fell instantly. "Sir! Have the men aim for the red seal on their foreheads!" She reloaded. "Drops 'em!"

"Keep it up, soldier!" He commanded and she followed.

She refocused the optics past the blur of gray and blue fighting in the field and scanned the line of seemingly normal humans across the battle. She caught a swath of red, moved back toward it and saw him. Edward. He transmuted the ground below him and it rippled outward and under the army of ghouls and rose above them and up and over the Amestrians. She gasped, thinking they were crushed. "Colonel!" she all but yelped into her microphone. "I have Edward in my sights! He's fighting WITH them!" She wiped sweat from her brow. "Orders? Sir?" Silence.

"You know what you have to do…..Riza." Mustang seemed supernaturally calm giving this order.

"Yes, sir." She became suddenly aware that her heart raced. It never did that, not even in Ishval. It beat faster and faster until she had to clutch her chest and start breathing to relax.

"Lieutenant?" Fuery placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ok?"

She replaced her hand on her weapon and eyed her telescope, finding Edward again. "Fine." She uttered so softly, the soldier barely heard her. Her sight lined up with Ed's forehead, then she moved toward his heart. Which one, which one? She was caught trying to pick the location of the deathblow when the tower shuddered. "Status! Sergeant!"

"Mortar or Alchemy just off the north side!" He adjusted his glasses and peered over the guard railing to see a small crater and smoke just to the side of the base. "Structures alright!" He returned to his position.

She exhaled and searched for Edward again, this time, not finding him, but found an alchemist transmuting spikes and sending them over the monsters. She squinted, pinpointed her target and fired hitting him square on the red seal over his heart.

Edward scrambled to his feet, having been blown back by a mortar blast. As he stood, the bonded soul alchemist next to him spun around and fell, blood soon seeping from the exit wound on his back. He was dead. Snipers. "Wait." His eyes widened as he forgot who they were dealing with. How could he have assumed she wouldn't be there. "Riza!" He turned, frantically searching the area for Alphonse and thankfully caught him just to his right, the boy's black jacket whipping in the war induced wind. "Alphonse! Keep low! They have snipers!"

"Got it!"

He didn't want to scare his brother so he did not mention Riza Hawkeye by name, but Edward knew Al was probably smart enough to put two and two together. "Watch your left, Al!" He screamed and his brother ducked in time to miss iron arrows conjured up by a military alchemist.

"Don't worry so much!" Al and Ed slammed their palms together and at the same time, placed them on the ground. Two ripples of earth simultaneously shot from the Elric brothers and wavered through the soil and grass zigzagging under the battle in front of them and up and over a group of military alchemists, encasing them in a mound of rock and soil.

"I have to worry about you!" Ed spun, missing a barrage of gunfire. "You're aim is terrible!" He transmuted a wall, stopping the rest of the bullets and drug his dark-haired brother down out of the fire. Both brothers took this second to catch their breaths.

"My aim is great. Did you see how I trapped them?" He smirked. "I bet not one of them had so much as a dirt stain on their uniform!"

"Yeah, I hear ya," Ed panted, "Let's just hope they can't get out until this is over." His yellow eyes shot up as the whirring sound of mortar fire came closer and closer. "Heads up!" the brothers shot in opposite directions as a blast exploded the ground that only seconds prior they sat trying to gather their wits.

Now separated by a fire pit, Ed searched and caught sight of his brother standing up and thankfully unharmed. "Al, try to encase a few more, I'll get to the other side of this and help!" Ed scrambled trying to find a way around the flames, the whole while bullets buzzed past him, hitting the dirt at his shoes. Suddenly, he felt the rush of wind and a swift sting, then a hot wetness on his left upper arm. "Ow!" Another whirl and ping and another line of bullets struck his left knee joint, penetrating the metal and causing the joint to seize up. Edward was sent flying by the momentum of his running, he fell flat on his face in the dirt. "God damn it!" He spat out a mouthful of dirt as he swore. Alphonse had missed this and continued to fight.

Ed kept low and quickly tried to assess the damage. He was shot in his flesh arm, a through and through and thankfully, the bullet missed his arm bone. "Hurts like a bitch." He gritted his teeth and moved his attention to the frozen knee. It was stuck straight and nothing he could do would get it free. Ed struggled to stand and again looked for his brother. Alphonse was a sight to behold. Dashing and dressed in black, he outmaneuvered all the attacks that came at him from the military alchemists. _Was he always this nimble? _Ed thought. Suddenly, Al turned to him and mouthed words Edward could not hear due to a looming whirring sound. Then he heard him clearly.

"Ed! Get down!"

Al screamed in horror at his brother, standing there like an idiot as the boulder came flying toward him. Flung at them from an alchemist, the rock came closer and closer . Alphonse watched helplessly as Ed stood there in the rock's path. The younger Elric clasped his hands together and then on the ground and hoped he'd be in time to save his brother. The dirt rippled and buckled under Edward, knocking him back as the boulder struck the spot he was standing. It was not an ordinary boulder. Having been altered by alchemy, it was filled with explosive elements that activated upon making contact with the ground. The explosion threw Ed's body back farther and covered the area with smoke, fire and falling rocks. "Edward!" Al coughed and waved at the smoke, trying to find his older brother. After a few excruciating seconds, the cloud parted and Alphonse caught sight of a lump of red-his brother -down and not moving. "Brother!" He tried in vain to get to him, but more boulders came and Al's frustration and temper began to grow.

"Give me info!" Mustang screamed at his subordinates. Warrant Officer Falman was the first to answer.

"Hand to hand combat is impossible, the infantry is dropping like flies." He panted. "Cannon and mortar fire is very effective, we need to focus on that!"

"This is taking too long." Mustang picked up the field telephone. "Hawkeye, I need you to cover me."

"Yes, Sir!" her voice boomed over the receiver.

Roy Mustang flung the field telephone down and loosened his collar. He started walking toward the battle, his stone cold eyes piercing through the fray.

"Go get 'em Sir!" Falman shouted.

The colonel smirked. This specialty of his was the reason HE was known as the Flame alchemist after all. As he walked to the front, the soldiers cleared and made way for him. He raised his hand and snapped.

Flame alchemy could be the hardest to learn and control. It had taken years of hard study and practice under his late Master for Roy to get to this point. The flames coming from his snapping fingers didn't just burn like a flame thrower, no, instead, it wound around the Amestrian soldiers and with a pop, it engulfed and consumed only the beasts. Roy sauntered into the battlefield, snapping his ignition gloves and sending a small spark around his soldiers and arcing and hitting the beasts and the dead who soon spontaneously combusted, the beasts screaming!

Alphonse had never seen the colonel use his flame alchemy before. He heard stories from Mustang's men and other soldiers, but never in his wildest imagination did he suspect that this alchemy could be so horrific and effective. Roy was coming toward him, slowly, in fact, his icy black eyes met Al's new green ones. The younger Elric forgot himself, forgot he was no longer encased in armor but trapped within a stranger's body. Mustang did not recognize him at all as Alphonse rushed forward. He just wanted to embrace him, to get him to help his brother. He was happy Mustang was there, he'd help Ed, he'd fix this. Mustang always seemed to appear when the brother's were in a pickle. Al started to run toward the Colonel and the Colonel raised his hand, ready to send his flame.

Edward slowly raised his head. The smoke disbursed and gave him a better view. He knew he was wounded in his left arm, but he didn't feel any other bullet wounds. He grit his teeth and tried to raise up. As he did, he caught sight of Alphonse running toward Mustang. For a split second, Ed was happy. Mustang was here to save the day. He then caught the look on Roy's face as Al approached - it was not the look of friendship, it was the look of a killer. Edward realized what Al did not. He realized that Mustang was going to kill his brother. He screamed at Al as the Flame Alchemist raised his deadly hand.

A shot rang through the smoke before Colonel Roy Mustang ignited the air around Alphonse into flames. Riza Hawkeye's bullet hit it's mark - the transmutation circle over the boy's heart.

Time slowed to a crawl as Ed watched his brother fall. It didn't matter his leg no longer worked. It didn't matter he was wounded. He found an inner strength to pull his battered body up and he ran. Mustang stood there as the rest of the soldiers battled around him, boulders and mortars still flying. He didn't flinch or move as the boy in red fell upon the dark haired boy lifeless before him.

"Alphonse!" Ed wailed and turned Al on his back, he was still breathing.

For the first time in this battle, Mustang felt the pang of terror deep in the pit of his stomach. "Alphonse?" He realized that nowhere near Edward Elric was his ever happy, armor clad brother. He looked down to see Ed cradling the strange boy in his arms.

"No!" He wailed and held his dying brother. "Not again, Al!" He wiped the tears from his face and tried to be brave. The boy in his arms smiled.

"Brother." He gasped. "Go save Winry…" His voice trailed off and he moved his hand toward his belt buckle. Blood began to trickle down the corners of his mouth.

"Edward?" Mustang knelt by the brothers. "Is this…is this Alphonse?"

Ed reached down and gently held his brother's hand as the boy exhaled his last breath and closed his eyes. He had to act quickly before Al's soul was lost to the gate again. If the boy's soul was in transit, Edward could use alchemy to bind it to the armor again and not have to pay a toll to get it back. The young alchemist clasped his hands together and then upon the blood seal of the metal buckle. It glowed a soft blue then faded to red. He hoped and prayed that it worked, for until he reunited the metal piece to the rest of the armor, he'd have no way of knowing if he just witnessed his brother's death or if by a miracle he saved him.


	11. Chapter 11:  Three Transmutations

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is short. :)

**Chapter 11: Three Transmutations**

A loud whirring sound startled Mustang from the terror of seeing the dead youth at his knees. Several alchemic boulders flew over their heads and past the battlefield and into the town, setting buildings on fire.

"Ed! Move! Now!" He lunged at Edward before the boy could get the buckle off Al's body. The two flew backward from Mustang's propulsion just in time as an explosive charge hit where they had just knelt.

"Al!" Edward wailed and struggled against Roy's arms trying to get back to the body.

"Fullmetal!" The Colonel struggled to keep the boy from dashing INTO the flames to get the buckle.

"God damned Bastard Colonel! Let me go!" Edward twisted his small frame, escaping his superior officer's grasp and he leaped into the fire.

Once inside the ring of flames, he saw the body, now charred. The silver buckle glowed red, but the blood seal was still intact. He clasped his hands together and then on his body, he transformed the material of his red coat into water molecules and he was instantly drenched. He could have transmuted smoke particles in the air around the body into water, but he feared it would wash away the seal. Wetting his clothing would give him a few seconds in the inferno. He grabbed the glowing hot buckle with his right hand knowing the pain it would bring. And pain it did bring. The searing hot metal burned and melted the fine wires on his palm that connected to his nerves. The sensation was as if his skin bubbled and melted. He howled in pain, but kept firm grasp on the buckle as he ran out of the flames and landed with a thud at Mustang's feet.

"Edward!" Roy scrambled to his subordinate. The alchemist pulled his battered and burnt body up and looked toward Ratzul.

"Are you going to sit there or help me!" He glared at Mustang who couldn't believe Ed was still going at all.

"Show me where you need to go and I'll make sure you get there!" Mustang stood and glared at the water tower knowing that Riza was watching their every move. He nodded and she understood, she'd cover the both of them.

Edward shot from the battlefield and ran straight-legged due to his fused knee. Even so, Mustang had a hard time keeping up with him as they ran toward the town.

* * *

><p>Winry Rockbell sat on the hotel bed since the brother's left to fight. That had been hours and hours ago. Since being sealed into her room, she had no way of knowing how the battle was going. The one window in her room did not have a view of the field and the bathroom window was too high up. She sat and picked at the white eyelet fabric of the dress she was given to wear. She then fiddled with the elastic fabric of her tube top, which she had tied around her right thigh to hold the dagger securely and secretly in place. She worried and fidgeted. She smelled smoke and noticed that a pale gray haze hung throughout her room. The Inn was on fire! She leaped up and scoured the room for something heavy only finding the ornate chairs. She groaned as she lugged the chair and flung it at the wall at the location of the alchemically fused door. The plaster splintered showing the boards beneath but it became clear it was not going to be easy.<p>

"Winry." Ila's voice echoed in her head. No, she really did hear her.

"Where are you?" Winry didn't know whether to be more afraid of the fire burning down the inn or the child Edward warned her about this morning.

"Stand back, away from the far wall!"

The mechanic leaped back toward her bed and the wall just melted away and as it did, Ila's childlike form stood before her.

"Come! Hurry!" Ila held out her hand and Winry took it, running with her out of the room into the smoke-filled hallway. Although the child seemed unaffected by the smoke, the teenager started to succumb to it, coughing terribly. "Quickly, this way!" She tugged Winry down the stairway and into the lobby, the ceiling was on fire. A beam fell in front of them, Ila leaped and pulled the mechanic out of harm's way until the front entrance was in view. They made it through the turn style door just as the rest of the ceiling collapsed. Both girls fell flat on the ground outside.

"We barely made it!" Winry gasped in between coughing. She turned to the girl. "I know why you came to get me, you know." She sat up.

"Really….do tell."

"You need a new body." She stood defiantly as the Inn blazed behind her, the updrafts from the flames causing her hair to billow into her face. "Just so you know, I'm not going to let that happen." Her blue eyes became cold as steel.

"Fine." The little girl crossed her arms and closed her eyes. "If you want to find Edward, he's down there." She pointed toward the field.

Winry stared at Ila suspiciously but decided not to ask any more questions, she ran toward the battlefield. She couldn't believe it would be that easy, but figured the little girl by herself couldn't take her. She forgot about the transmutation circle on her chest. She felt a slight tingle over her heart. This tingle quickly turned into searing electricity, blue sparks leapt through and burned the white fabric of her dress. She screamed in agony and fell to the ground. She was paralyzed and not able to will her limbs to move an inch. Her eyes were open and despite her vision fading, the last thing she saw was the smiling white child slowly walking toward her.

* * *

><p>"The circle is almost complete, Keren." Ila lovingly placed her small hand on the forehead of a body draped in cloth on the table. It was obvious that this person was dead. "I'll have a stone and will bring you back." She walked away slowly and toward the unconscious blond laying in the center of an ornate transmutation circle, a circle carved into the stone floor. "Wake up, Winry!" She bent over her. Winry's dress was hiked up on her right side revealing the tip of the dagger lashed to her thigh. Ila bent down and slowly drug the white fabric up to see the whole weapon. "Well, this saves me some time." She removed the blade from its makeshift sheath and held it up as she stood. "Ironic, it seems it was crafted by Ed's alchemy. Tacky, but it will work." She fingered the ornate skull encrusted handle. She noticed the girl below her move her head. "You need to be awake!" Ila gave her a swift kick to the side.<p>

"Hey!" Winry grimaced at the blow but opened her eyes and glared at the white child with anger. "What the hell! Let me up you little witch!" She could not move her body. Although her limbs were not bound to the ground, she was not able to move, something tingly and definitely alchemic was gluing her to the floor, a floor she noticed was etched with runes and circles….a transmutation circle that she was smack dab in the middle. "What are you doing?" She yelled.

"I've blocked the nerves from your limbs to your spine. It's a little alkahestry I learned in Xing. Nothing permanent." She stood over Winry and her cold gray eyes narrowed. "It is really to your benefit, you won't feel a thing."

"Are you going to kill me?" She was no longer afraid. The hours of unknowing and alone in the Inn she had spent contemplating many scenarios, her death was one. She was more afraid she was going to learn about Edward or Al's deaths.

"No." Ila turned her head and smiled wistfully at the body on the table. "But in order for this to work, you must be very near death. And, I need a lot of your blood for the transmutation.. I hope you've recovered enough from the loss of your hand."

"Spare me the fake concern! What kind of transmutation?" Winry's only hope, her only plan was to keep talking, keep delaying Ila. She didn't know who or what would save her, but it was the only thing she could do.

"Two, actually. Well, truthfully, three. But, you're a mechanic, not an alchemist-I don't think you would understand."

"You'd be surprised. Who, who is that on the table?"

"That is my sister, Keren." Her face frowned with the painful memory. "She died forty years ago, in the early days, when the strife in Ishval began."

"I'm sorry." She was truthful. "My parent's were killed in Ishval too." She hoped to appeal to any part of the girl's good nature, if she had any. "They were doctors, they treated Ishvalans."

"A lot of good people died there. Keren was an amazing alchemist and alkahestrist. She taught many people in secret. Ishvalla forbade the art."

"I know you loved her. But, you do know how Ed and Al lost their bodies, right?"

"They tried to bring someone back." She uttered with no emotion.

"Yes they did. They tried to bring their dead mother back. Ila, it doesn't work. Ed's told me, and yes, I don't understand all of it, but he's a genius and he's TOLD me!"

"Told you what?" Her anger wafted with her small voice.

"You can create the body with alchemy, but you cannot create the SOUL!" Winry shouted, hoping to reach the girl. "You cannot recreate HER soul. Please. Ila, don't do this!"

"I cannot stop what I've started. I'm really sorry it has to be you." She moved one leg over Winry's torso so that she stood straddling her. "When this is over, the dead on the battlefield will have created my philosopher's stone. Your blood will start the transmutation, the stone will finish it."

"Finish what?"

"Bringing Keren back to life. I will use the stone to restore your body and I will claim it for my own soul! I will open that god damned Gate of Truth and bring my sister's soul back!"

"No." Winry all but whispered.

"It won't be so bad, you'll still be in there, buried beneath my soul. I've figured out that there is no way around the body degrading when placing foreign souls in a dead shell. However, it occurred to me that in order to keep the body healthy and whole, its original soul must be present. I figured a way to subdue the original soul and implant another, a parasite to take control." She giggled. "That parasite will be me. I'll use this dead girl's shell as material to recreate Keren's body as well.

"I will fight you." She shouted. "I won't let you take control of ME!"

"You know something?" she lowered the dagger. "You'd probably not know it now, but I started my life as a boy. I grew into a strong young man. I courted a beautiful girl. She was Amestrian and had lovely golden hair. It was very similar to the color of Edward's hair."

Winry gasped.

"I lost her, she was shot by a sniper and soon afterwards, I was mortally wounded- my legs were destroyed by an explosion. There was not enough of me left for Keren to heal. All she could do was heal my lover's body and bind my soul to it before I left this world." Her hands gripped the dagger harshly making her knuckles white. "Do you know how wretched it was? To wake up in the morning and see your lover's face in the mirror and YOUR soul was inside her body! To WATCH that body slowly decay? Keren was a genius like Edward but even she couldn't stop the reaction. The body was rejecting my foreign soul."

"Ila, I'm so sorry for you. I know that pain, the pain of loss!"

"Do you? Do you know how it feels to watch your older sister age, get sick and DIE while you float from body to body? Keren taught me EVERYTHING she knew. I had to absorb it all and keep the process going if I was to live. But, she, she grew old on me!" She grit her teeth. "I suppose that was a small price to pay for my immortality. "

"I still will overcome your soul if you try to take my body over!" Winry spat. "I will fight you! Edward will fight you!"

"I'm sure you both will try. Speaking of Edward- you know, when I first met him, I dismissed his body as an option for my soul. He is a cripple after all."

"He is not! He's got my automail!"

"Yes. He does. But now I see how he cares for you. I'm sure he'll care for me too, in fact, I'm sure he'll LOVE me when I'm inside you…." She raised he dagger high over her head.

"No!" She squeezed her eyes shut.

"I've always been partial to blonds!" She screamed as she brought the dagger down on Winry, the steel blade piercing her side, penetrating her body and even the floor below. Slowly, a dark pool of blood seeped onto the ground and an ominous red stain grew on her white dress, the fabric wicking it up away from the wound. "Open your eyes, Winry." Ila left the blade in place and she stepped over the girl's body.

"What?" Winry opened her eyes. Ila's words were true, she did not feel any pain.

"I told you it wouldn't hurt." She watched as Winry's blood trickled into the hollows of the carvings in the floor. Gravity pulled the red liquid slowly into the fine lines in the stone.

She felt the cool dampness on her skin, a sensation that left her suddenly nauseous. In the next instant, her own mortality came rushing at her, starting a reaction deep within. Winry screamed.

"EDWARD!"

As he stood outside the inferno that once was the Ratzul Inn, he heard her scream his name. He may have lost his brother and now Winry. Edward couldn't bear it. His amber eyes dashed from right to left, trying to locate the source of her scream: the church of Lito.


	12. Chapter 12:  To Live Again

**A/N: 7/8/12**

**This is the last chapter. I hope it doesn't leave the story too short, but I want to focus on one of my other works for now. I think I've pretty much written this one into the Manga/Brotherhood storyline as a side story and a puzzle piece to the whole. If you've enjoyed this, please let me know. I've also got a rough sketch started and hope to finish cover art for this as well. ****J**

**Chapter 12: To Live Again**

"Edward!" Winry's screams echoed through the church igniting fear within the stomach of the young alchemist desperately trying to reach her.

"She's down here!" Running on pure adrenaline, Edward led Mustang through the bowels of the church of Lito following the sound of the girls anguished cries. They rounded a corner only to come face to face with a mob of wavering dead.

"Move it, Fullmetal!" Mustang screamed and Ed got out of his way as the Flame Alchemist ignited the moldy, decomposing corpses in their path. Edward took this opportunity to run into the room Winry's voice carried from.

"Keep them busy Colonel!"

"Will try!" Mustang growled as a new wave of creatures came from the darkness, this time, human-turned beasts. He snapped and his flames licked at the monsters but failed to stop them as it did the dead. He leapt backward to regroup.

While Roy kept the creatures at bay, Edward came face to face with a horrific site of his own. There in the floor was Winry, his knife in her side. His eyes grew wide with fear as he noticed the transmutation circle made of her blood.

"This is unexpected." Ila pouted. "You and your brother were supposed to die on the battlefield with the rest."

"Ed!" Winry cried as the youth ran to her side. He didn't know what to do, if even touching her would cause more of her blood to spill. He placed his hand on her abdomen around the blade.

"No, you can't pull it out…it's, it's," It exhausted her to talk, "It's the only thing keeping me from bleeding out." He knew she was right, the steel blade, though it pierced something vital inside her, it also kept her life from escaping too fast.

"I'm so sorry, Win, I'm sorry…." His mind raced with possible solutions to this disastrous problem but nothing materialized in his genius mind, nothing but possibly losing the girl in front of him. "Don't move, Ok?"

"Can't move…alchemy." She all but whispered. He realized her extremities were limp on the floor.

"Ila!" He stood and glared at the girl. "She's no threat to you, undo this!"

"I suppose you are right. But it will hurt" She touched the array on her chest and it sparked and then the one on Winry mirrored the same.

"Ahhh!" Winry screamed as the sensation of the blade piercing her side sparked through her body's nerves. The injured mechanic raised her left hand to the blade. "Branch of my uterine artery… or renal, not sure." She mumbled and sorted out the anatomy texts in her mind to try to deal with this.

"Please move her off of the array, Edward, I need to begin."

"Ila, she needs a doctor, I'm taking her!" He gently tried to pick her up and she groaned causing him to lace his hands under her shoulders and pull her body from the circle in that fashion. He realized he wouldn't be able to carry her without causing her tremendous pain as long as the knife was still embedded in her side.

"Oh, no, no, no!" The white girl leapt at the alchemist, kicking him to the side with force. "I need her, Edward! I need her body to live again!" She clasped her hands together and then stretched them in front of her and electricity shot at the youth, hitting his right arm, his metal arm.

Edward felt the shock move through the metal, enter the port and then maneuver through the wires to his own nerves. He buckled over in pain and it did not stop. Ila kept it coming until he was face down, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

"Just stay down, Edward!" She strode to the transmutation circle of blood and got herself ready to activate it.

"I, I, don't understand," Ed panted and looked up through his bangs. "That's a human transmutation circle?" He tried to buy time, he hoped Mustang would finish off the monsters any second.

"Did you and your brother ever figure out what goes into the making of a philosopher's stone?"

"Yes." He answered quietly. They had deciphered Marcoh's notes. He knew exactly what was used to power the stones. Human lives.

"You didn't notice the shape of the valley, the shape of the battlefield, did you, Edward?" A fierce grin cracked across the girl's face. Edward inhaled sharply. "A perfect circle." She got on her knees, preparing to activate the array. "First a stone- sorry army, sorry ghouls of Ratzul. Then I'll bring my sister back!" She looked toward the shrouded corpse on the altar. "Stay put, be good and I'll heal the girl too, I can't have an injured body." She laughed and lowered her hands to the floor.

Snap.

One little sound took Ila by surprise. The next thing she felt was enormous heat and then searing pain as her clothing then her skin started to burn. She fell backwards shrieking as the flames Roy ignited bloomed around her small body. She fell right into the altar, setting ablaze the old shroud covering Keren. The dehydrated and mummified corpse underneath this shroud soon succumbed to the flames as well.

In a last ditch effort, Ila transmuted the ground beneath her into a spray of water that extinguished the flames. However, the damage was already done, the girl collapsed in a black heap at the base of the still burning altar.

"Just in time?" Roy stumbled inside, evidently having destroyed the creatures in the hall. He was rubbing his neck.

"Late." Ed snarled and rushed back to Winry's side, soon followed by the Flame Alchemist. "Win?" He raised her head to his leg. "Win?"

"I'll find some help, don't move her!" Roy knew that there was a medical tent on the military's side of the battlefield, he just hoped he could retrieve a doctor before the girl bled to death.

"I'm so sorry." Ed stroked her forehead.

"What are you sorry for?"

"Not stopping her, not being here faster…damn-it…not putting you back on a train out of Resembool."

"Idiot." She smiled. "You can't be responsible for EVERYONE." She scrunched her eyes as a wave of pain hit. "Ed?" She realized that someone was missing. "Where's Al?"

"Don't worry about him." He didn't want to worry her any more.

"Edward?"

"He's, he's here…I hope." He patted the metal belt buckle, turning it around to reveal the blood seal. Winry's eyes grew large as she realized that Al must have lost his human body once more.

"You're burnt!" She held her hand to his face, which indeed was raw and red, his fringe and braid singed. "And shot?" She winced as she saw the blood trickling down his shoulder. "Crap! You broke the knee joint too?" She realized his left leg, the leg she was resting her head upon could not bend. "Moron." She exhaled and closed her eyes.

"Win!" Ed shook her, trying to rouse her. "Don't sleep!" She opened her eyes just in time to see the blackened corpse of Ila rising up over them behind Edward.

"Ila!"

Winry's scream launched Edward's fighting instincts. As the burnt girl almost placed her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to transmute his body into an explosion he lurched to the side, and grabbed hold of the girl's waist, pulling her down. She recovered and quickly leapt from him to Winry and activated the circle etched on the mechanic's chest.

"Ahhhh!" Ila's let loose a guttural yell as the transmutation rebounded on her decayed, burned body. She was thrown back toward Edward. "You! You changed the array!" Her one un-singed eye turned toward the boy and in a second, she was on top of him clapping her hands together, then taking them apart, sparks leaping wildly.

"I guess I'll have to make do with YOUR body!" She screamed and began the transmutation.

Winry had a clear view of this. With only seconds to react, she did the only thing available to her. She took advantage of the fact that Ila thought she was no longer a threat. She took advantage of the fact that she had a perfect weapon. She used all her remaining strength and pulled that knife from her side.

"It's been a long time since I was a boy!" Ila laughed manically as she lowered her hands to Edward's body. She felt a horrendous pain in her chest and was shocked to see the business end of a long dagger sticking through the blood seal over her heart. "Noooooo!" She screamed and before her hands touched the alchemist, she fell to the side allowing Ed to quickly come to Winry's aid.

"Bitch!" Winry yelled as she stood over the burnt girl, who was now writhing in the center of the transmutation circle on the floor. As soon as Edward made it to her, she began to sway and fell into his arms. He gently lowered her to the floor.

"I'm sorry!" Ila sobbed as she felt her soul lose its anchor to the girl's body. "Keren!" Finally, the body grew still, the knife still sticking out of her back.

"Winry!" He held her in his arms, he knew nothing could stop the blood now. He knew she was dying. "Why you do that? Why'd you do such a stupid thing?" He stroked her face as she smiled.

"I couldn't let her do this again." She smiled. "Not to you…not to anyone…anymore." She closed her eyes.

"Win! Wake up! Wake up!" He shook her once more. She responded, opening her sad blue eyes to look into his golden ones a last time. "There's got to be something I can do!" He ran his left hand through his hair, all the knowledge in his mind came flying at him and the only solution he knew, the only thing he could do was something that most certainly would kill her. "Alchemy." He clapped his hands together but before he released them he spoke. "Winry! Please, tell me! Describe the anatomy so I can see it!"

"Artery. Braches off the uterine. Muscle. Intestine, maybe….dunno." She couldn't speak any further.

Edward didn't know a lot about medical alchemy. He did know that what he was about to do could kill her, but if he did nothing, she'd die anyway.

"Do it, stupid. I know you can." She closed her eyes.

He placed his hands upon her wound, utilizing the energy he knew how to manipulate, he concentrated on not deconstructing the material of her body, but he visualized her anatomy and then concentrated on constructing or repairing the tears and stopping the bleeding. He didn't notice that the red array over her heart slowly faded away and disappeared.

"Winry?" He lowered her to rest on the ground and was relieved to see she still breathed albeit labored. He tore her bloody dress open to observe the wound and found a red scar where the knife punctured her side. She'd need a transfusion, he knew he'd have to get her back to the camp fast. "Alphonse." He said out loud and he lifted the unconscious girl into his arms and left the room to search for his brother's old armor. The altar's flames spread to the carpet and curtains. He knew that soon the church would fall in fire, he didn't have much time.

Edward found his brother's armor in a side room. As he placed Winry down, he felt extremely lightheaded and the room began to spin. "Fuck, not now!" He realized his own wound, his arm drenched in red and hoped he had enough in him to restore Al and get them out of the building. He took off the metal buckle and removed it from its leather strap. He placed it as if it were a puzzle piece, inside the armor and he transmuted it permanently in place. Edward concentrated, clapped his hands together then upon the seal. The armor glowed blue and then the light disappeared. The alchemist noticed that a dark blue color encroached his peripheral vision leaving only sight dead center-lack of oxygenated blood to his brain was causing him to pass out. "Fuck! Al! Come on!" He shook the armor but nothing happened. He had failed. Al, his baby brother was gone. He let his soul slip away on the battlefield. "Al?" He felt the tears fall down his face as he turned from the silent pile of metal he hoped would become reanimated and he turned to his gravely ill mechanic. He stumbled and fell, no longer able to walk and crawled to her. Edward tried to pick her up and carry her out but that was no longer within his wounded body's capability. He fell beside her and stared up at the ceiling and watched the fire roll in. He let his head fall toward Winry's direction and as the blue cloud enveloped his vision, he held her hand.

* * *

><p>"Sir?" Riza Hawkeye hurried to catch up with the Colonel after they exited his car. It was a lovely morning: the sun was shining, the birds were tweeting. She hoped that he would slow down. "Did you finish your reports to main brass?"<p>

"As much as I'm going to do right now." He entered the building and smiled at her attempts to get him to finish his work. That would have to wait. Right now, he had his subordinate to see. "Are you coming or not?"

"Yes, sir." She followed him up the stairs of the hospital and around a corner to a row of rooms.

The big blue blur slowly transformed into a big white blur as he opened his eyes and they adjusted to the sunlight. A figure appeared in his line of sight and as his lenses focused and cleared this image, the smirking face of Colonel Roy Mustang came into Edward's view.

"Havoc owes me 600 cenz." Mustang cackled. "He's awake today and not tomorrow."

"Huh?" Ed's head felt like a bowling ball. He struggled to sit up and failing to do that, he raised his automail hand to his head. "You're betting on my recovery? Bastard."

"It was the only thing that carried us through all the sadness." Mustang mimicked a pout.

"It's good to see you awake, Edward." Riza smiled and clutched her clipboard to her chest.

"At least you're genuine, thank you Miss Hawkeye."

"Well, now that I've seen you are on your way to recovery," Roy turned toward the door, happy that he won his bet and more than happy that Edward was going to be alright. "I have to finish up cleaning up the mess of this whole incident." His eyes turned serious. "It's good that you made it, Fullmetal."

"Colonel!" Edward remembered how he left the church of Lito, how he left Alphonse and Winry and suddenly a pang of worry struck his belly and he needed to know. "My brother?" He managed to sit up in his bed. "Winry?"

"Ed." Riza's cool voice carried into his ears as the soldier pulled a pillow off the floor and placed it behind him and gently led him to recline. "Fine. They are fine." She smiled.

"Interesting enough, on my way back to get you and Miss Rockbell, we were met with the curious sight of a suit of armor carrying you two out of the burning church." Mustang stopped walking toward the door long enough to finish this story. "You two were a complete mess. Blood everywhere, but the medic was able to replenish what you had lost. Winry was released yesterday, I'm sure she'll be happy to know you are awake."

"Alphonse?"

"I'm sure he's mulling about somewhere, I'll check for you." Riza waved to him as she and the Colonel exited the room.

It didn't take long for the floor nurse to locate the suit of armor and get him back to his brother's room. Al stood at the end of Ed's bed and just stared at him for the longest time. Edward cracked first.

"I thought I lost you, again Al!" He tried to get out of bed, but Al was quick and stopped him.

"Stop moving so much! You'll start bleeding again!" He pulled up a chair and sat. "It just took me time to move again after you replaced the seal. When I came to, I thought you both were dead!"

"Winry?"

"You healed her!" He was interrupted by a small figure in the doorway.

"What about me?" The mechanic ran into the room and sat on the edge o the bed.

"Are you, are you ok?" Edward motioned toward her side, where she was wounded.

"Just fine, I told you you could do it." She smiled, however, her lovely smile quickly turned to a frown as her right hand felt the bed next to her.

"Edward, where's my leg?" She couldn't find the automail limb.

"_Your _leg?" He threw back the covers to see that his prosthetic limb, indeed was missing. "I paid for the damn thing only to have it seize up!"

"And your hand! Where's the sensor padding?" She grabbed his beaten metal arm and inspected the palm of the hand. "It took me a fucking YEAR to make that! I'm NOT doing that again!"

Alphonse sat back and enjoyed the brawl between his brother and Winry. Normal. Yes, things definitely looked like they were returning to normal. Well, at least the normal the Elrics knew.

* * *

><p>Far away from Ratzul and in the center of the country of Amestris was Central City. To the military, it was known as Central Command and the home of the Fuhrer King Bradley. The Fuhrer sat at an enormous desk in an even larger office. He wondered what his wife was going to have for dinner that day. The ringing telephone broke the monotony of his domestic thinking.<p>

"Yes." He uttered into the receiver. The voice on the other end quietly poured information into the leader's ear. "Just the townspeople then? Not many military casualties?" He listened as the voice went on. "And Mustang? He's like a bug, I just can't squash him." He slammed down the receiver. Bradley sighed, then stood. He calmly strode across the room and opened a side door in his office which led to a long, dark staircase. He traveled a long time before he came to the room he sought and to the person he needed to relay this information.

"Was the transmutation completed?"

"No." The Fuhrer uttered with no emotion.

"Casualties?"

"The entire population of Ratzul, about a thousand. About a handful of military as well. Will that be enough?"

"Oh, yes. That will work just fine." The figure on the throne grinned.

"Humans are so predictable. A little nudge here and there from Lust and Envy and that Ishvalan almost created a stone. THAT would have been something to see!" He laughed.

"No stone was found, he failed." Bradley interrupted. "But Envy said the bloody cross was made, exactly where you needed it- in that field."

"Mark it down in history with the others." The figure came into the light, a fair, bearded man. "You know what's left…"

"I do. Briggs."

"Good." Father sat back in his chair and watched as the Fuhrer retreated back to the dark stairway. "The points in the array are almost complete."


End file.
